


The Kind & The Cold

by jumponthechandelier



Category: Beauty and the Beast (1991), Kingdom Hearts
Genre: Alternate Universe, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Mutual Pining, Reader-Insert, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-17
Updated: 2019-10-16
Packaged: 2019-10-30 11:07:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 25
Words: 22,705
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17827433
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jumponthechandelier/pseuds/jumponthechandelier
Summary: You were a trade in place of your brother, a naive prisoner sent to a life of servitude. He was a monster, a selfish prince punished with a curse of utter torture-No heart.Love was the only way to break the spell, but with every second that passed he became ever closer to his demise.For who could learn to love, when they had no heart to love with?ReaderxRoxas(Response to Ani-Chan's 50 Fairytale Themes Challenge on Lunaescence) (Reboot)





	1. Once Upon A Time

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on Lunaescence in 2013, currently being rebooted on both sites thanks to inspiration from KH3.

Once upon a time, in a land where the sun eternally set and magic was abound, a young prince resided in his remote castle. Newly bestowed the power of the ancient blades and the ruling of the throne, he had grown to be impatient, arrogant, and even reckless. The prince saw the townspeople as a nuisance- and it was only a short amount of time before a revolt would begin against him and the members of his court.

Fate provided him with an opportunity to turn everything around- yet he failed.

When an innocent girl appeared on his doorstep asking for shelter, he vehemently denied such a thing, slamming the door in her face. It is said that he would later find her in his garden, her light blonde hair and blue eyes shining like a phantom’s in the moonlight.

“Darkness is clearly what you crave…”

She turned out to be a witch, her light steps haunting as she approached the prince. Alarmed, he took a step back.

“If you wish such a thing, so be it.”

It is said that his screams could be heard throughout the town, for she had removed his heart, and the ability to feel with it. In her final ruling she cursed the entire castle with the same fate.

As the prince lay breathless upon the stone ground, she gave him one last offering:

“By the night of the eclipse, when the sun is sealed off and this land is shrouded in darkness, you must find love and the light that comes with it.”

She began to fade, her voice becoming nothing but a whisper in his ear…

“Or you and your castle will be consumed by the dark, shrouded in the cold for eternity.”


	2. There Once Was A...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone whose read thus far!

“There hasn’t been word from the royal family in months- they even think the prince is dead!” Pence, with his spiky black hair and brown eyes, looked around the group of misfits gathered in the Usual Spot. His even mannered temper had been ever so slightly knocked off course after The Happening. Gathered on the couch were Hayner and Olette, two opposites indeed, their attention focused upon the newspaper in their hands.

“If we’re being honest here, that mouth of his probably got him in trouble.”

“Oh, (y/n)!” Olette looked over at you with dismay.

You laughed from your spot on the crates, tossing your copy of the paper back to Pence. "I'm joking! I'm sure the castle is just on lockdown because of those... _things_." You carelessly waved your hand in the air.

"The Heartless?"

Olette's voice level had dropped, almost like if she spoke any louder they would appear, their yellow eyes peering from each and every corner. You hated the word, too. It was a sign that they had been there too long- they had gained significance. They were, without a doubt, an every growing threat.

The Tram rumbled loudly above, causing Hayner to scoff and stand up. "Well _that_ , is why The Guardsmen, like _me,_ exist." He was pointing at himself, his prideful stance causing Pence to run his hand down his face in disbelief.

"Considering the fact that I kicked your ass in the Struggle Tournament, I'm surprised they let you stay." The smirk on your face quickly fell when you realized your mistake.

Before you could duck out of the way the blonde had put you in a headlock, obnoxiously ruffling your hair as you shouted in protest. Shoving him off, you mumbled various expletives under your breath, all the while trying to fix your now knotted locks.

"That was a one-off, don't let it get to your head, sis."

Olette let out a small laugh before standing, her hands coming to rest behind her back. "Well, seeing as curfew is soon, I think we should all head home."

You took a quick glance at the clock- she was right. With the Summer season, curfew was 8pm- you had twenty minutes before the sun stopped providing its half light.

"Jeez, already? Guess I'll see you guys in the morning." Hayner's eyes were focused on his shoes as he said this, his hands crossed behind his head.

Pence beat you to the punch in voicing his disbelief at your brother's statement. "Seifer put you on duty? _Again_?" You jumped in, positioning yourself to stand in front of the exit, your hands on your hips. "You have got to be kidding me! He can't keep running you down like this- for goodness' sake if he just let _me_ -"

"Yeah, yeah, yeah... Come on, kiddo. I'm taking you home." He grabbed your shoulders and turned you around, pushing you through the curtained exit while your protesting shouts filled the air.

"Look, if _Rai_ can barely count the fingers on his hands and is allowed on the watch then I don't understand why I can't! It's absolutely ridiculous-"

You barely heard the goodbyes of Olette and Pence as they descended the hill, your frustration blocking most of your senses as Hayner bid them farewell with a wave. He continued up the hill with you in tow, amused at the way you continued to make your case, your hands animated in their movements. You didn't even register that you had reached your home until you slammed into your brother's back as he came to a halt.

" _Oof_..."

"Alright, get inside before you're caught.. _again_. I'll see you tomorrow."

Rolling your eyes, you opened the front door to your small home, its brick exterior blending in with the styles of the attached buildings. You stepped over the threshold, turning around to face Hayner.

"Be careful. And tell Seifer to go fu-"

"Nope!" He cut you off, reaching for the handle and closing the door swiftly, the last thing you saw being a smug look on his face as he waved goodbye with his free hand. Shocked, you stood there for a moment before shaking your head in amused disbelief. You slipped off your shoes, locked the door, and proceeded to get ready for bed.

Instead of finding yourself in a peaceful slumber hours later, you were instead sitting upright with your legs crisscrossed underneath you on your bed, a worn-out book in your lap. The soft glow from your bedside lamp lit up the words on the page, a troubled look on your face as the they danced across your mind:

_"All Worlds begin in darkness, and all so end. The heart is no different. Darkness sprouts within it, grows, consumes it. Such is its nature. In the end, every heart returns to the darkness whence it came. You see, darkness is the heart's true essence."_

Your eyes roved over to your window, focusing on the stars that littered the night sky as the researcher's report played over and over again like a broken record.

Unbeknownst to you, a shadow had stopped to look up into your window from its spot down on the street below. It twitched and fixated its eyes on the outline of your figure, a hunger stirring inside. Its instincts were cut short, however, as a flash of white cut through it like a knife, leaving only a wisp of darkness in its wake.


	3. Rescue

_"Hayner! Pence! Olette!"_

You awoke with a gasp and shot up to a sitting position, your heart pounding as the nightmare faded from your vision. Your hand came to rest upon your chest, the rapid pace of your heart providing a sense of...  _reassurance?_

The clock on the opposite wall, combined with the stillness of the town outside your window, marked how early in the morning it was- and how little sleep you had gotten. Throwing your blankets to the side, you reluctantly removed yourself from the comfort of your bed. Moving to the bathroom, you made your way to the sink, immediately splashing cold water on your face to knock yourself out of the stupor you were in.

You looked in the mirror, your hand coming up to trace the outline of the bags under your eyes. With a heavy sigh you continued your routine.

Without wanting to disturb Hayner, you quietly made your way down the hallway, a small note with a piece of tape in your hand.

"Off to the bistro,

then library."

As you went to place it upon your brother's door you paused, confused to find it wide open with him to be nowhere in sight. A tinge of panic sent you running down the stairs, your eyes immediately darting to the couch. That too, was empty.

_"As soon as the sun rises we're off duty. Not so bad, huh?"_

"Hayner?"

Your voice sounded hollow as it echoed throughout the empty home. You called for him again, louder this time, the sound of silence being the only response.

You ran out the front door, your note falling from your hands, landing forgotten upon the living room floor. You could feel it- something was wrong. So very _wrong_.

The shop keepers on Market Street did not receive your usual morning greetings as they prepared for the day. You rushed right past them, your feet pounding the pavement as you made your way directly to the Sandlot. Standing right in the center, you found exactly who you were looking for.

"Woah, woah. Look whose made her way into territory that isn't hers."

"Typical."

"Yeah, you shouldn't be here, yo."

You threw your arm out to the side, taking a defensive stance. "Cut the crap- where is he?"

Seifer smirked and stepped forward, leaving less than a foot between you. Before you could stop yourself you stepped back, a visceral reaction to his overall presence.

"Still feisty, huh? You'll have to dial back the attitude if you want my help."

You relaxed your stance a bit but still held your ground, your eyes narrowed. "Just tell me what happened to him. I know you had him on duty last night."

"I did. What the hell does that have to do with anything?"

"Don't act stupid! What area was he patrolling?!"

Your raised voice caused him to snap, his hand shooting out to grab your chin. You winced, his grip tightening just a bit as he spoke his next words. "It's not my fault your brother's an idiot."

" **Stop**."

Fuu's voice caught you off guard as she stood solemnly off to the side, her red eyes focused solely on Seifer. He looked at her, following the slight nod of her head to take a look at his surroundings. A few townspeople had appeared, some of them stopping and whispering about the commotion, concerned looks on their faces. The Guardsman immediately released his hold on you, causing you to stumble back.

Seifer scoffed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "He was assigned to the Tunnel entrance. Rai went to switch with him around midnight, but he wasn't there."

"And these new things showed up! Nothing like the Heartless, yo."

"Shut up."

Rai immediately stopped his side of the story, his animated hands coming back to rest at his side upon Seifer's hissed command. Your eyes narrowed in suspicion, locking for a brief second with Seifer's blue ones before you turned away from the group.

"What do you think you're doing?"

Without turning back you threw your hand up in a lazy goodbye and made your exit, calling out loud and clear:

"What you're too weak to do."


	4. Poison Apple

"You can't do this alone, (y/n). It's too dangerous..."

Olette spoke with apprehension, her hands woven tightly together in her lap as she watched your pacing form from the couch. You were biting your lip, moving back and forth around the Usual Spot while Pence was shuffling through boxes, all the while murmuring to himself.

"I'm not, Olette. That's what worries me- I'm already asking too much of you both."

"We have a missing Hayner and creepy shadows running around; I don't think anything is too much at this poi- a ha!"

Pence spun to look at the both of you, a crooked smile on his face and a worn chess box in his hands. Carved along the top, in barely-discernible handwriting, was:

" _Property of The Twilight Kids - Do Not Open!"_

If you weren't so distraught you probably would've laughed. Upon seeing your perplexed expression, however, Pence quickly sat down next to Olette and placed the box on the table.

"Remember our Seven Wonders project? It was bogus... _but_ we did draw out a map of the town and the surrounding tunnels."

He carefully slid back the top to reveal an array of small trinkets and notes, pulling out a large folded up piece of paper. Unfolding it, he slid his hands over it to flatten it down, revealing quite an intricate map. You pulled a nearby crate over to the table, taking a seat to get a better view.

"It'll tell us the best spot to cause a distraction to remove the guard from the tunnel  _and_ how the heck to navigate it, too."

You shook your head in disbelief, a small smile on your face. "Pence, you're a genius!"

His hand came up to rub the back of his head, his expression sheepish. "Nah, Olette was the one who came up with the idea when we were kids."

"You and Hayner did all the surveying, remember, (Y/N)? You even made it to the woods." The brunette gazed at the map as the memories resurfaced, her green eyes moving up to look at you, widening at your next words.

"Really? I don't...remember that part." 

You rested your elbows on your knees, your head in your hands as you focused upon the greenery in the far corner of the guide. Two dotted black lines signified the diverging paths in the woods, but they both merged together, leading to a small sketch of a crown.

"Hayner did say you hit your head pretty hard..."

Pence's words barely registered in your mind. You were hyper-focused on the sketch, the gold of the crown a stark contrast to the dark green path that surrounded it.

"Earth to (y/n)!"

"Huh?"

Pence leaned over to wave his hands in front your face, causing you to snap out of your revere. "We only have a few hours until we need to set this plan in motion. Let's focus."

You looked at the both of them before nodding, a feeling of determination rushing through you.

"Got it."

_The closer you get to the light, the greater your shadow becomes_

"Do you think the girl will take the bait?"

The voice that spoke was cold, almost mocking, his yellow eyes moving from the incapacitated boy in the cell to his nearby companion. A deep laugh echoed in the dungeon, its owner's lips forming a smirk.

"She is impetuous- of course she will."

"And the Prince?"

The second man turned away from the cell, his silver hair and amber eyes stark against the ill-lit backdrop.

"He is ignorant of the intricacies... and until the time is right, _he will remain so_." 


	5. Shadows

Night had finally fallen. You, Pence, and Olette had slowly emerged from the Usual Spot one by one, all with different destinations, all armed only with a flashlight.

Olette outside the Tram Station, Pence to the Sandlot, and you to the edge of the Neighborhood, waiting for the coast to be clear. Your back was pressed tightly against a brick building close to the tunnel entrance, the only sound being your breathing and the pacing footsteps of the nearby guard.

You shifted your body slightly to peer around the corner, your eyes making out a flash of blonde hair and silver attire.

_‘Seifer…’_

A large blade rested on his shoulder, glinting in the neon lights of the nearby shops. Hayner had mentioned it once before- Hyperion, it was called. Shuffling back, your jaw clenched as time continued to pass and you became all the more restless. Had Olette or Pence been caught? Attacked?

Your thoughts were cut short as a sudden shiver ran up your spine. When did it get so cold?

“Seifer, yo!”

A rush of relief came over you as Rai’s voice cut through the suffocating silence. Seifer’s footsteps paused.

“ _What_?” His question contained the usual mix of venom and exhaustion.

“Olette is in the station, yo. Pence says they were heading home when...”

Your focus shifted from the conversation behind you, the sound becoming muddled when a nearby _whoosh_ filled your ears. Your eyes strained to try and find the the source. In the distance, a round shadow moved erratically on the ground, the dark puddle causing a shock of fear to run through you.

It moved closer and closer- and you knew what was coming. But even as you picked up on the pounding of the Guardsmen’s footsteps and watched them disappear from the area in the corner of your eye, you forced down the call for help that was bubbling up in your throat. Instead, you ran.

Your breaths were heavy as you made your way down the ramp and towards the tunnel entrance. Skidding around the corner, you flicked on your flashlight to light your path. The light bounced from the red flooring to old crates until you reached a fork in the tunnel.

“Damn it!”

_Whoosh, whoosh._

The shadows were multiplying behind you. You tried to recall the layout of the map in your back pocket, but the feeling of claws wrapping around your ankle sent you into a panic. Roughly kicking your leg forward, you watched as the Heartless flew into the wall in front you, disappearing into a swirl of darkness.

 

**Go Left.**

 

The voice had a bass-like tone, its command causing you to shine your flashlight in said direction. There was nothing- so you moved without question, your heart pounding in your chest.

The end of the tunnel finally came into view, a wooden storm door leading up into what could only be the woods… and it was closed.

“Please be unlocked… please be unlocked…”

You climbed the nearby crates and attempted to throw the doors open, but even has you threw your body weight against it there was little movement. Trying not to look at the approaching danger behind you, you continued to throw your shoulder into the door, hearing small cracks as a sign of it giving in.

You shoulder ached from the pressure, but you continued on- counting down from three every time you did so.

“Three...two...one!”

_Slam_

“Three...two...one!”

_Slam_

Just as you went to give your final push, you felt the claws of another Heartless dig into your ankle, causing you to cry out in pain. You stumbled a bit before kicking it off like the last one, but this time you made the terrifying mistake of looking back.

Ten? Fifteen?

They had become a mass now, nearly covering the floor as they writhed about, their yellow eyes glowing in the dark. One got ready to launch itself in your direction, your arms flying up to protect yourself and your eyes closed in anticipation of the oncoming pain-

But nothing.

You opened your eyes to see a group of creatures fighting the shadows, their thin white bodies twisting and swiping around the Heartless with ease. Pulses of light emanated from the black stripes on their sides and a strange symbol lay atop their cylindrical heads. A zippered mouth was ripped open to reveal a set of sharp, gray teeth.

Taking advantage of the distraction, you held tightly onto your flashlight and once again collided your shoulder with the door, causing one side of it to swing open with a slam. You pulled yourself up and onto the grass, quickly turning around to heave the door shut, your muscles screaming in protest. You marched on, barely giving yourself enough time to recover.

Your flashlight shined erratically across the wooded path for any sign of your brother. You were being pulled further and further into the dark, your intuition yanking you along. As you reached the end of the forest, you paused as your flashlight landed upon a small red bracelet, its metal clasps undone.

“Hayner…”

You slowly bent down to pick it up, the fear of where you were hitting you like a truck as your adrenaline rush came to a close. Placing it onto your own wrist you took a deep, shaky breath before moving forward.

The castle that lay further ahead towered before you, its brick walls and large gate serving as protection. You took notice of the crumbling exterior- its garden columns now collapsed near the front entrance and overflowing with ivy. You stepped forward, clicking your flashlight off before wrapping your hand around the handle of the gate.

Before you even had a chance to pry it open, cold metal collided roughly with the back of your head.

“I don't think so, poppet.”

And everything went dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you all for reading, it really means a lot!
> 
> Roxas is will be here soon I swear (I'm so sorry).


	6. Kidnapped

“(Y/N)...come on...wake up!”

You could feel a hand shaking your shoulder to rouse you from your slumber, but the pounding headache you were experiencing only kept lolling you back. Your eyes would flutter open, only to close seconds later.

Another call of your name and a rough jolt to the shoulder, causing you to hiss in pain. Your hand came up to smack the hand away, your eyes slowly opening to look over at the offender.

“...H-Hayner?”

Your voice cracked from disuse, the image of your brother suddenly filling your vision. His brows were furrowed in concern as he sat criss-cross on the floor, one of his hands wrapped around the metal bars that separated you two. You tried to sit up a little straighter, your back pressed against the brick wall for support. Just as you went to speak, however, Hayner suddenly jolted up and began pacing his cell. The ill-lit space you were in didn’t allow for you to see the expression on his face.

“I gotta get you out of here.”

“Hayner, what’s going on? Where are we?”

“The damn castle. Pence was right- these people aren’t normal. There’s something different…  _ dangerous _ about them now.”

You grabbed at one of the metal bars and pulled yourself up, struggling slightly to do so.

“I came to get  _ you  _ out of here. How did you end up like this, anyway? Seifer said you disappeared from your post.”

He stopped pacing, one of his hands on his hip while the other gestured wildly as he spoke. “There was this… thing. Not a Heartless, I don’t think. It was white and moved like a snake, almost. Followed it all the way to the edge of woods and ended up in this damn dungeon somehow.”

Hayner’s focus suddenly cut back to you, his light-brown eyes suddenly alighted with anger.

“They hurt you, didn’t they?”

“I-I’m not sure-”

“Her sheer recklessness is the thing to blame, boy.”

Both you and your brother snapped your attention to the new presence in the room. Standing directly outside of your cells stood a tall, well-built man in a black cloak. Blue hair cascaded down his shoulders, the silver embellishments on his clothing and his yellow eyes reflecting under the light of the nearby lantern. A scar in the shape of an X took center stage on his face.

Hayner growled, his hands curling into fists at his side. “Who the hell do you think-”

“ **Silence** .”

The stranger’s command overflowed with vexation, causing Hayner to stop mid sentence, followed by a step back. The man’s attention turned to you.

“The Prince is providing a proposition: one of you stays, the other goes...  _ You _ decide. A nice warning to the residents to show what happens when you meddle in business that is not yours.”

Your eyes narrowed. “Why should I trust you?”

“Do you really have any other choice?”

“Conditions?”

Hayner looked over at you, his eyes widening in realization at what was happening. “(Y/N)... you don’t know what you’re doing-”

You ignored him, your eyes still locked with the stranger’s. “Your brother goes free, unharmed, and you stay here… until you no longer serve a purpose, I suppose.”

“Tell the Prince... he has my word.”

“(Y/N),  **_no_ ** !”

With a snap of his gloved fingers the man instantly created a dark portal behind Hayner, black wisps crawling out like tentacles to pull him through. Panicking, you turned to push yourself against the bars, your hand outstretched in a feeble attempt to reach his. His eyes were wide with fear as he struggled to break himself free.

“Hayner!”

The darkness consumed him and within seconds, he vanished. Your hand slowly dropped down back to your side, shock etched across your features as you stared at the spot your brother once stood. You looked around to see that the man was gone, too.

The lantern on the wall flickered in and out.

You were alone.


	7. Prince Not-So Charming

Lifting your one unscathed leg, you slammed your foot into the lock on your cell, your impatience pouring out into unbent anger.

Your entire body was screaming for you to stop, but you didn’t care. You were absolutely livid at this point. Sure, you wouldn’t fall through on the promise you made, but you sure as hell weren’t going to rot in a cage.  


Taking in a deep breath, you kicked the lock once more, the metal bars rattling loudly in response.  


“Woah, woah,  _ woah _ ! No need to start breakin’ things.”   


Your attention shifted to the new presence in the room, your shoulders stiffening in apprehension. He was wearing the same cloak as the yellow-eyed man, his slim figure befitting to his tall stature. His bright red hair, green eyes, and the accompanying tear drop tattoos underneath them were striking. A look of amusement was plastered on his face, his one hand resting on his hip while he used the other to tap his finger to his temple.  


“The name’s Axel, got it memorized?”  


You furrowed your brows, your expression a mix of unamusement and utter exhaustion.

“Sure.”

He rolled his eyes at your terse statement, his hand coming down to rest by his side. “Look- (y/n), is it? You promise to behave, I let you out, and a cozy room is waiting for you right upstairs.”

“How do you know my name?”  


Axel let out a low whistle, his hand digging in his pocket to reveal a key. He spun it around his finger as he spoke, your eyes locked onto it like a kid in a candy shop.  


“Well, we don’t have time to unpack  _ all _ that. Let’s just say... that you stand out a little more than the average person in this town?”   


Your crossed your arms over your chest, “Is that supposed to be a compliment?”

“Eh, I have no idea. I wasn’t the one who said it.”  


He swiftly placed the key in the lock and turned it, the cell’s door swinging open in result. His one arm gestured towards an archway at the end of the dungeon. “Shall we?”  


With nothing but the longing for rest dragging you along you nodded, following behind the eccentric redhead as he led you through the archway and up a spiraling staircase. Axel opened another door to reveal an intricate foyer, the beauty of it halting you in your tracks. A gold chandelier hung from the center ceiling, the flames from its candles providing a soft light to the area. Directly underneath that was a statue- of what, you weren’t sure.  


Wooden tile, with its gold, vine-like etchings covered the floor. A glass door that appeared to go outside was tucked between two large staircases leading to the second floor. Various passageways were littered about, but before you could make anymore observations, Axel stopped halfway up the staircase closest to you.  


“Come on, I don’t have all night.”  


You quickly moved to catch up with him, using the railing for support as you climbed the stairs. Your guide remained quiet, every once in a while looking back to see you enraptured by the decor as the two of you moved down the hallway. Scattered lanterns lit the way, illuminating old paintings and sculptures; while door upon door laid ahead, appearing to be never ending. The only sound was the echoing of Axel and yours footsteps- at least, for the moment.

Sudden, angered whispers caught you off guard. They were coming out of a room on your right, its door slightly ajar and light spilling out ever so slightly into the hallway. You slowed your steps and came to a halt while Axel unknowingly continued on.

_ “The girl is of value. She will serve as the connection.” _   


You inched closer to the door, the deep, strangely familiar voice pulling you in. Your eyes caught sight of a fireplace and two chairs, both of which were empty. You moved closer.  


_ “To what, exactly?!” _   


The owner of the second voice was leaning against a short wooden bureau, his hands gripped tightly onto the edges. His back was turned to you, his short, spiky blonde hair stark against the darkness of the outfit he was wearing. The first voice ignored his question, causing the blonde to shake his head in frustration.  


_ “She should’ve never been...brought…” _   


His voice trailed off and your breath hitched in your throat as he slowly turned his head in your direction.  


_ “... _ **_here_ ** _.” _   


It was  _ him _ . The Prince’s bright blue eyes were locked onto yours, the scowl on his face suddenly melding into a look of disconcertment. He wore a black button up with the sleeves haphazardly rolled up and the top buttons undone. A silver chain with an X hung from his neck and black pants and boots completed his outfit.

He moved to stand up straight, his attention still focused on you as he began to step towards the doorway. You were frozen in place, your heart pounding in your chest while your subconscious screamed at you to run.

You were mesmerized- out of fear or curiosity, you weren’t sure. And his eyes… you swore you saw them flash between blue and...no. It wasn’t possible…  


A loud  _ bang _ knocked you out of your state, causing you to jump slightly. The door was suddenly slammed shut.   


Axel was standing over you, his gloved hand still resting on the center of the door. His expression was pure anger, his next words coming out through gritted teeth.  


“ **Rule number one: no meddling.** ”   


**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Luna appears to be down and I'm a fool who didn't save the words for the original challenge anywhere. I'm going to do my best to recall them (I'm pretty this was one). That challenge really inspired this story, so I still wish to give credit where it is due. :)


	8. Secrets

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for this being short- I'll be getting another chapter out sometime tomorrow!

“I-I’m sorry.”

Your apology came out as a stuttering whisper, causing Axel to immediately back away. The angered look on his face turned into one of guilt, his one hand coming up to sheepishly rub the back of his head.

“Just...learn to watch yourself. Don’t want you ending up back downstairs.”

Relaxing only slightly, you nodded at his words and proceeded to follow him further down the hallway. You finally reached the end, your guide coming to a halt at the final door that was on your left. He opened the passageway and gestured for you to go inside.

“Home, sweet home, kiddo.”

Stepping over the threshold you stopped to examine the space. It was beautiful, your eyes roving over the black and white decor with fascination. A standing lamp lit the room from its corner next to a chair- near that a curtained door stood tall, appearing to lead to a balcony of sorts. A large bed and dresser finished the room, while a door off to the side appeared to lead to a bathroom. It was no doubt a contrast to the dark, concrete space you were confined to not so long ago.

You turned to thank the redhead. 

“Axel, I-”

But he was gone... and the door was shut. With a deep sigh you bent down to untie your shoes, taking them off and tossing them into the corner. The fatigue and strain from your body was overwhelming, sending you straight for the bed. You knew the dull aches from your injuries would be much more aggressive in the morning, but for now you didn’t care.

Slipping under the bedding and resting your head on the pillow, you drifted off to sleep with the events of today playing on the back of your eyelids like a movie reel.

 

_ We pray for our sorrows to end. _

  
  


“ _ Axel _ ...you can’t even play babysitter properly.”

While you escaped to a world of slumber, the red and blue haired men approached each other further down the hall. Their voices were quiet, but still full of malice.

“If everyone learned how to properly lock a door, she wouldn’t even be here in the first place.”

The man in question hummed, his yellow eyes glinting in the dark. “Why don’t you tell our dear Prince that? I’m sure he’d be delighted to hear your insight.”

“You and Xemnas consistently provide him with yours, I don’t see how it would be any different.”

Axel smirked, both of his hands coming up to rest on his hips. His statement was met with silence, the air in the hall filled with heavy tension. Saix suddenly let out a small, hollow laugh, turning around to take his leave. The redhead’s cocky demeanor faltered at his companion’s sudden change.

“The plan is already set in motion, Axel. How utterly... _ human _ of you to suddenly worry about its victims.”

Saix snapped his fingers, summoning a dark portal before him. “Remember what we’ve been taught...one goal, one destiny.”

With that, he disappeared, leaving nothing but faint black wisps in his wake.

Axel let out frustrated growl, cursing under his breath. He pinched the bridge of his nose between his fingers, his eyes closed in thought. Without even looking he brought up his free hand and loudly snapped his fingers. Unlike Saix, however, a portal did not appear.

Instead, his eyes slid open to look at the two slithering white dusks that were awaiting his command.

“Guard the girl’s door- and don’t let anyone in.”

Their zippered mouths ripped open in response, their echo-like voices ringing in their commander’s head.

_ “Of course, my liege.” _

Axel lazily pointed over his shoulder at your door down the hall, the creatures moving past either side of him at the motion. With a tired sigh he moved forward, the sound of his booted footsteps and clinking chains resonating through the dead space like a gong.

He softly mumbled to himself, his eyes briefly looking up at the paintings on the walls.

“Don’t you think we’ve already met our victim quota?"

The question was directed at no one- or perhaps...it was simply meant for himself. 


	9. Paradox

A low, agitated hum escaped you, the feeling of warm sunlight shining through the thin curtains on the balcony door and spilling onto the bed effectively drawing you from your sleep. You rolled over onto your back, your hands coming up to rub at your bleary eyes. The intricate engravings etched into the white ceiling above filled your vision, causing your face to scrunch up in confusion.

You quickly sat up upon the realization that this wasn’t your room. The sudden movement caused your vision to blur, pain shooting down from your head and into the rest of your limbs. You cradled your head with both of your hands, a small whimper falling past your lips.

“ _Shit…_ ”

It was similar to how you felt after every past Struggle tournament, but on a whole other level. You cautiously raised your head from your hands and threw the covers off of your body. Slowly you slid out of bed, shivering when your feet made contact with the cold tiled floor. You instinctively wrapped your arms around yourself and made your way into the room’s adjacent bathroom.

You flicked on the light switch, wincing at the rush of light reflecting off the all-white, marbled space. You examined yourself in the mirror, your one hand coming up to gently touch the bruise on the back of your head. You could feel a slight bump underneath your tangled locks from whatever was used to knock you out.

Bending down you opened the drawers and cabinets underneath the sink, relieved to find towels and toiletries scattered about. After grabbing what you needed you immediately switched on the shower head, steam beginning to fill the room as the water poured down. You locked the bathroom door and stripped your clothes off, wincing as you navigated around your injuries.

The shower served as both a mild recovery of your strength and an unfortunate place for your thoughts to run free.

_Why did they want you here? Are the town rumors true? Are you friends okay? Your brother? Were you stuck here… forever?_

You didn’t realize how long you had been in there until the water suddenly cut to a freezing temperature, jolting you from your thoughts. Carefully stepping out of the tub and wrapping yourself in a towel, you took one look at the pile of dirty clothes on the floor and sighed. Putting your old outfit back on seemed quite gross, so you crossed your fingers that there was something for you to wear somewhere in the bedroom. You moved to the dresser, taking notice of a framed photo that sat upon the top of it. A girl with bright yellow hair and green eyes had a small scowl on her face, her arms crossed over her chest. There was a boy next to her- his light pink hair and blue eyes quite hard to miss. He looked almost...mischievous, his attention focused on her and away from the camera.

You were surely in someone’s room. You dug through the drawers, feeling a bit guilty as you took out a black t-shirt and pants, confirming that the room belonged to the girl in the photo. You slipped on the outfit and the boots you had tossed off last night.

Before you could contemplate your next move, a light knocking on the door caught your attention. There was a small part of you hoping it was Axel- he wasn’t exactly friendly, but he didn’t seem the type to deny pointing you in the direction of the kitchen.The growling from your empty stomach was beginning to grow irritating.

You swung the door open, fully prepared to look up to see the redhead towering in the hallway. Instead, you were met with an unfamiliar man, his hand still frozen in position to knock again. His expression was one of surprise, his green eyes widening at your appearance. He laughed awkwardly and dropped his arm back down to his side.

“Well, uh...looks like you’re awake?”

You nodded slowly, slightly alarmed at his, well...perplexing behavior. He was adorned in the same cloak as the others and had a similar build to Axel’s. His dirty blonde hair was cut into an odd mullet-like style, while his facial features were sharp.

“You knocked… did you... not want me to answer?”

He seemed caught off guard by your question, his one hand coming up to scratch the back of his head. “If you put it that way, I guess? I was told to give this to you, but I kind of just wanted to leave it outside of your door.”

Moving his one arm out from behind his back, he held out a small jar with a glittery, dark blue liquid inside. A green star was painted delicately on the front. You recognized it as a potion- quite a rare thing that was sometimes used by participants in the Struggle tournament. You and Hayner always wanted to use them as a recovery boost after the matches, but they were very pricey. You reached out and took it, making sure not to pop the cork top off.

“That’s nice of you, thank you.”

“Oh, it’s not from me. It’s from Roxas- I mean, the Prince. I mean...me. It’s from me.”

You raised your eyebrows, an amused smile forming on your lips at the blonde’s slip up.

“Look, I better go. Got cool things to do, cool places to be! It was nice to me you!”

The man suddenly backed away from the threshold, turning around to head down the hallway. You went to wave goodbye, but the sudden rumbling of your stomach sent you a reminder of what you needed. You went running after him with the potion still in your grasp.

“W-Wait! What’s your name?”

He paused a few feet down the hall, turning to face you. “Whoops, totally forgot. The name’s Demyx!”

You nodded, trying not to laugh at his scatterbrained response.

“Well, Demyx...Can you tell me where the kitchen is? I’m a bit hungry.”

A wide smile broke out on Demyx’s face at your question, a mischievous-like glint in his eyes. He motioned for you to follow him.

“The kitchen’s my favorite hide-out. How is someone gonna ask you to do stuff if they can’t even find you?”


	10. Secret Society

You walked side by side with Demyx as he took you to the other side of the castle. He hummed to himself for most of the journey, piping up every once in a while to point out various rooms.

“That’s the dining room. No one uses it. Oh- and that’s another parlor! Xigbar and I used to play cards in there with Luxord…”

_ Used to? _

As you were being led down one of the main staircases, you tapped your nails idley against the railing, mind fully wandering at the implication of the blonde’s words. The whole town was always left in the dark when it came to the matters of the castle and its people. The presence of them was supposedly good- unquestionable, really. There would always be a wielder of the blades to prevent the light from being encompassed by the dark. But who those weilder’s were? Who served as their guardians? What this darkness supposedly was? Old reports were the only thing anyone had to go off of. And those, well… they weren’t exactly clear.

Rumors were always circulating- like whenever they would come into town for supplies or supposedly pop up around town. One instance of the Prince snapping at the owner of the Armoury and well, that was enough for him to establish a... certain persona.

“Hey, you alright?”

You had come to a full stop at the bottom of the stairs, hand gripped tightly onto the railing. You snapped out of your train of thought and looked over at Demyx. He was on the other side of the foyer, waving to get your attention. Letting out a small apology you jogged a bit to catch up with him.

“Now, (y/n), I present to you the best part of this whole castle…”

Demyx threw open the door with a dramatic flourish, giving you a glimpse into a very large kitchen. You stepped closer, eyebrows raising a bit at the movement that was going on within the so-called ‘safe-haven’ the blonde was raving about.

“Demyx, I think there are...people…”

You trailed off as you stepped into the room, eyes widening at the company you had. There were those…  _ things  _ from the tunnel running amok. They paid no mind to you as they continued to cook and clean, their thin, white bodies twitching wildly as they did so. You immediately jerked back, coming into contact with your tour guide’s chest.

“Woah, woah. Chill out… they’re just Dusks. They won’t do anything to you. I think…”

Demyx slapped his hands down on your shoulders and pushed you forward.

“What do you mean  _ think _ ?!”

You spoke a little louder than you intended, your heart beating a mile a minute as the creatures continued to move around you. He raised his hands in a defensive manner, his one foot jutting out behind him to shut the door.

“Hey, hey! Keep your voice down.”

One of the creatures paused its washing of the dishes to approach you. It’s zippered mouth ripped open, its head tilting innocently to the side as it spoke to you in a raspy, nearly silent voice.

_ “My liege, do you require food?” _

You were completely dumbfounded, your head turning multiple times between the Dusk and Demyx. He smiled encouragingly, nodding to give you the go ahead.

“I-I… Yes, that would be great. Thank you.”

_ “What food form do you wish for?” _

The odd way it spoke caught you off guard, but it waited patiently as the wheels turned in your head. You smiled softly, your defensive demeanor dropping like a hat. “Just a sandwich, please.”

“Same thing for me!”

You looked back at Demyx, who was lounging at a small table in the corner, his chair balancing haphazardly on its back legs as he leaned back. The Dusk zipped its mouth shut at his request and proceeded to get to work at the nearby counter, another one of its companions stepping in to assist.

Moving to sit across from him, you sat down, wincing as you did so. Demyx took notice of your discomfort and leaned forward, causing his chair to hit the ground with a thud. 

“You should probably drink that potion. Xigbar must’ve done a number on you if he knocked you out.”

You looked down at the jar that was still firmly in your grasp, a sigh escaping you as you placed it gently on the table. The thought of chugging it before having anything to eat had your stomach churning.

“I’ll wait…”

“Well…”

The blonde snapped out of his sudden empathetic state, leaning back in his chair once more with his hands behind his head. “Do you know why you’re here?”

His question threw you for a loop. Besides the obvious trade-off, you had no idea. You suddenly felt like an animal in a cage, pacing back and forth while spectators stopped to look in wonder. You had to stop yourself from snapping at the man across from you.

_ How the hell am I supposed to know? _

“No, I don’t. Care to enlighten me?”

“Nah, I was just curious. I have no idea either- no one ever tells me anything.” He waved his hand nonchalantly in the air, effectively shutting down any hope you had of gaining any information.

_ “My liege.” _

A plate with a sandwich suddenly appeared before you, your attention turning to the Dusk who was standing next to the table. It was still wriggling about, but seemed to be stationed in its spot as though it were waiting for something. You thanked the creature with a smile, fulling expecting it to leave your side.

It didn’t.

Demyx was too busy shoving his own meal down his throat to take notice. With a prompt from your growling stomach, you too began to eat. With slight amusement you watched the Dusk finally leave. You supposed it wanted to make sure you were happy with what you were given.

“Hey, Demyx?”

He let out a muffled sound of acknowledgement between bites. 

“What exactly are Dusks?”

The blonde nearly choked, coughing awkwardly to try and clear his throat. “W-Well…”

You watched in interest as an inquisitive look took over his features.

“They are shells, I guess. If someone loses their heart, and their heart wasn’t exactly in tip-top shape, their body and soul turns into a Dusk. Or ‘Nobodies’ as some call them.”

You felt a shiver run up your spine. “They...they’re people?”

Demyx hummed in thought, one of his fingers tapping on his temple as he processed his next words. You glanced nervously between the white figures in the kitchen and him.

“Not anymore, really. They’re shells of their past selves… and there’s no reversing what’s been done to them. Their hearts are long gone.”

There was rush of distress that washed over you. How did they end up like this? There had to be a way to help them. And you… would you end up like that?

“Oh, crap! Axel’s gonna kill me.”

Demyx jumped up from his chair, his eyes locked onto a clock across the kitchen. He flicked his wrist, causing portal to appear. “Thanks for hanging out! You know your way back to your room, right? Right? You’ll figure it out, no big deal!”

He spoke so fast you barely caught half of what he was saying. You quickly stood up, a feeling of dread filling your gut. “Demyx, wait-!”

Your shout did nothing as he stepped into the swirling darkness, waving goodbye over his shoulder. And just like that, he was gone. 

Falling back into your seat you let out a heavy sigh, your hand coming up to rub your face in disbelief. As you watched the Dusks occupying themselves with menial tasks, you could feel yourself falling deeper and deeper into the mysteries of this place. You were determined to uncover the secrets it held- you just weren’t sure if you’d make it out alive while doing so.


	11. Prince Charming

You stared apprehensively at the glowing bottle on the table, only stopping to thank the Dusk that whisked away your now empty plate. The headache you had been harboring was essentially begging you to just get it over with. So with a deep breath you popped the cork off, crossed your fingers, and chugged the so-called potion.

The taste was… sweet and bitter- like someone had messed up a Sea Salt ice cream recipe just a little bit. A warmth spread down from your head to your toes, providing an instant relief from the dull aches of your injuries. You felt renewed, like you had finally gotten a full night of rest for the first time. You jumped up and stretched, your bones popping in response.

Since Demyx had left you on your own, you had limited options to pass the time. Do your best to find your room or…

“Do you need some help?”

The three Dusks still remaining in the kitchen stopped their tasks to look at you, their heads tilted to the side in what appeared to be confusion.

_ “No, my liege.” _

You noticed one was struggling slightly in carrying a tea tray, its tentacle like hands wrapped tightly around the two wooden handles. Regardless of what Demyx had told you about them, you felt an overwhelming amount of sympathy towards these beings. And so, completely disregarding the one’s response, you stepped forward to gently take the tray from its grasp. You nodded towards the door.

“Go ahead, lead the way.”

If you were stuck in this castle, then you might as well find something to occupy yourself with. Axel gave no demand for you to stay in your room, after all.

The Dusk hesitated for a moment before opening the door. It led you back out into the expansive foyer, the bright, flashing lights on its side glinting as it passed through the sunlight that spilled through the glass doors to the garden. It floated quickly up to the stairs on the right, pausing at the top as it waited for you to catch up. The sound of your footsteps echoed through the large space- you noted that this place was oddly empty for how expansive it was.

You moved down the hall that contained your room, stopping in front of a door that looked identical to all the others, just as the Dusk did. It reached up and knocked, the oddly endearing gesture causing you to smile.

But just as the knob began to turn, and the recklessness of what you were blindly walking in to came crashing down, the smile quickly faded. 

You had no idea what, or  _ who _ , the hell was on the other side of that door.

Just as you were about to leave the tray off to the side and run as fast as your feet would carry you, the door swung open, and your breath caught in your throat.

Bright blue eyes connected with yours, unwavering in their hold until their owner let out a deep sigh, closing them briefly before moving their attention to the Dusk.

“Dismissed.”

It seemed to hesitate a bit, its head turning between you and the boy for a few seconds before it finally took off. There was an awkward moment of silence as you both stood there, your hands gripping on to the tray handles like your life depended on it. His one hand still gripped the edge of the door, as though he was contemplating just closing it.

“Sorry, I just-”

“It’s fine.”

The royal was curt in his response, but his voice was still soft. You relaxed your shoulders and unlocked your knees, trying to look a bit more self-assured. You observed him just like he was doing with you- he was, without a doubt, a handsome Prince. Those eyes appeared to have lost the malice that had taken them over last night.

What was realistically just seconds felt like an eternity before he broke his gaze. He opened the door and silently gestured for you to come inside. You moved to place the tray on the bureau you had spotted yesterday, fully prepared to leave.

_ ‘Of course.’ _

The Prince was leaning against the now closed door, his arms across his chest. “What exactly were you...doing?”

He seemed genuinely curious, so you made yourself comfortable by leaning against the bureau. At least conversation held the power to pass the time.

“Helping them. The Dusks seemed like they could use it- there isn’t much else to do, anyway.”

“You know what they are?”

“You have chatty guards.”

He scoffed at that, what appeared to be a smirk playing at the edges of his lips. “That...sounds about right, (y/n).”

You could feel your heart skip a beat at the way he said your name. Why did it feel so... familiar?

“How do you know my name?”

The blonde seemed to pause in thought- or maybe it was just your imagination. “Axel.”

You hummed in response, trying to word your next few questions carefully.

“What’s yours, then? No one in town ever figured it out.”

His facial expression turned back into the impassive look that seemed to be his default.

“...Roxas.”

“Well then,  _ Roxas _ …” Your heart was now hammering in your chest. You needed answers, the reason for your presence in this damn place, so why not just ask the source? “...can you tell me why I’m here?”

Roxas, much to your surprise, did not seem taken aback by your question. He simply took a glance at the grandfather clock across the room and uncrossed his arms. No anger, no annoyance, just… contemplation. When he finally spoke, you released the breath you didn’t even realize you were holding.

“You might want to sit down. This is going to take a while.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> God, you guys are amazing. Just an FYI that there are no general KH3 spoilers in this (I know not everyone can play it and I surely wouldn't want to ruin it for anyone). If you squint, there will be various concepts/ideas in the future that are pulled from it and play into the storyline, but no plot heavy things. :)


	12. Curse

Making yourself comfortable in one of the large chairs by the fireplace, you watched Roxas’ pacing form with curiosity. It was about a minute or so of just his footsteps and the clicking of the clock before he finally chose to speak.

He relayed his story, his history, and you took it in like it was a new book.

_ Long ago, this world was not its own. _

_ There are many worlds now, besides this one. But, it wasn’t always that way. _

_ There were tensions brewing between two factions: the Light and the Dark. _

_ Keyblade Masters, the people of those factions, were destined to keep the balance- to keep the heart of the world, Kingdom Hearts, stable… _

_ And one day, they failed. _

 

Roxas paused, briefly glancing over in your direction before continuing on.

 

_ They were turning against each other, accusing wielders of secrecy and selfishness...And from there, creatures began to appear.  _

_ Unversed, they called them- monsters spawning from the negative emotions within their own hearts. _

_ From there, everything turned into chaos. _

_ Faction leaders left their town to clash on desolate land, and during that time, the Unversed collapsed the world, and its heart, into pieces. _

_ Those who survived were sent away with a fraction of Kingdom Hearts, and from there, new worlds grew. Twilight Town is no exception. _

 

The Prince remained solemn, but you couldn’t help the emotion that spilled out from your heart and was so plainly written on your face: sorrow. You had questions ready to poor out, but you knew he wasn’t done. 

_ A keyblade wielder, and his guardians, are assigned to watch over each world. _

_ As time passes and the wielder grows old, and before their time comes, they find another heart to pass along the blade. _

_ The guardians, then, become responsible for training the new sovereign. _

_ And the cycle repeats… _

_ And the goal remains the same: _

_ To balance the light and the dark, to protect this world’s heart and its people. _

 

**And I’ve failed** .

 

The severity of his words, the bitterness that was so evident at himself, had you digging your nails into your palm. You wanted to say something, anything, but you didn’t know what. To reach out- but what help would you even be?

Roxas was leaning against the wall next to the fireplace, his eyes fixated on something, or nothing, across the room.

“The darkness has gotten out of hand. It has created the Heartless, and through the vessel of a girl, ripped the hearts out of everyone in this castle.  _ We’re nothing but shells. _ ”

“T-That can’t be true!”

You shot up from your seat, your nails digging further into your palm. “There has to be a way to reverse this. I’ve read these old reports, these studies, your heart could just be sleeping-!”

He sighed, pushing himself off the wall and moving every so slightly in your direction.

“You weren’t brought here because of your studying. You do realize that,  _ right _ ?”

There it was: that attitude of his. You didn’t want to push him, to awaken whatever anger at what happened boil over like a teapot. So you let it slide, your eyes now downcast. 

“They sought you out because your heart is strong...and pure light.”

“ _ What _ ?”

You hated how meek your voice sounded. He moved closer, his blue eyes now determined to stay locked with your own.

“They think your light will drive out the darkness away from the source… from this place. That just your presence will begin to restore the balance.”

You instinctively unfurled your hand and brought it up to your chest. Why you?

“...Do you think that?”

Roxas contemplated his words for what felt like an eternity, his voice soft when he finally spoke.

“I’ve already met my fate. There isn’t a redo for me.”

“I don’t believe that… Your heart, and Axel’s and Demyx’s, I know they’re still with you. We can bring them back.”

You don’t know why there was a sudden fire of motivation lit beneath you. You would help them, and in turn you would protect your town,  _ your brother _ , with your last breath. Suddenly, and without warning, you felt a hand gently grasp your wrist.

Roxas slowly stepped forward and guided your hand to his chest. Your fingers splayed across the fabric of his shirt, over where the gentle beat of his heart should be.

_ Should be. _

You could hear your own heart pounding in your ears, your eyes widening at the realization. He was watching you like a hawk, waiting for you to have a meltdown of some sort.

But you didn’t.

Before either of you could even speak, your attention snapped to the new presence in the room.

_ “Well isn’t this just precious.” _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, boy. Here we go.


	13. Riddles

Your hand slipped out of Roxas’ grasp and snapped back to your side like you had been electrocuted. Standing next to the door was another one of the guardians, clothed in the typical black garb. The chains on their uniform clinked as they lifted their hand to remove their hood.

A golden eye, upturned eyebrows, and a taunting smile placed on a scarred face was revealed. The man had an eyepatch and long, black hair streaked with grey pulled into a drooping ponytail.

“Roxas, Roxas...Who woulda thought you would be so kind to our  _ prisoner _ ? A little contradicting, don’t you think?”

You took a quick glance at the boy to your side, a shiver running up your spine at the dark expression that had suddenly taken over his features. You watched the strange man pace back and forth around the room, picking up random objects and observing them as he spoke.

“And you, Poppet? How’s your head?”

He still had that smile on his face, his one eye solely focused on you. Your fear was replaced with anger and a scowl fell upon your lips.

He laughed at you, only causing your anger to rise. “Look at you two! Like Yin and Yang, Light and Dark... So similar, but so different.”

“ **_Xigbar_ ** .”

Roxas spoke with such venom that it caused the man’s smile to drop away like a hat. He lifted his hands in a defensive manner, making an attempt to look innocent.

“Gee...I’m just teasing, your Highness. Didn’t intend to offend.”

You could almost feel the tension in the air crackle like an impending storm. The Prince stayed silent, his blue eyes similar to steel as they watched Xigbar let out a deep sigh.   
  
“Well, I do have that recon report, if you’d be so obliged to listen. Not sure if you want Little Miss Break In to hear it, of course.”   
  
Roxas closed his eyes and let out a breath you didn’t even know he was holding. Without even looking your way, he nodded his head in the direction of the door.   
  
“Go.”   
  
The tone of the direction was soft, but clear- you knew it was for you. Without even an ounce of hesitation you made your way to the door and grabbed the handle.   
  
“Remember rule number one, Poppet!”   
  


**No meddling.**

  
The hairs on the back of your neck stood up at the sickeningly sweet reminder that was called your way. Quickly swinging the door open you stepped into the hallway, never looking back as you slammed it shut.

Your heart was still hammering in your chest as you made your way down the hall and back to your room. Your pace was erratic, jumping between a calm walk and a sudden urge to run. 

‘What is going  _ on _ ?’

Small slivers of light peeking through half opened curtains splayed across the tiled floor of the hallway, your form cutting them off as you passed by each one. You prayed that your intuition was correct as you nearly ran to a door on your left, sighing in relief as you swung it open to reveal your room. 

You stepped in and shut the door, your back falling against it with a heavy thud. Your hands were clenched at your sides and your eyes shut in frustration.

It was too much- all of it. There was one part of you screaming to run, even if they dragged you back by the collar of your shirt. You could push and push and  _ push _ until they got tired of the chase. But what then?

Would the world collapse because of your disregard for others? Or because of your naivety in trying so hard to fix it?

To fix  _ them _ ?

Your heart ached at the thought of leaving Roxas behind, and you had not a single clue as to why. 

_ ‘Isolation will bring about weakness- and weakness will bring out the power that lays dormant, dear girl.’ _

You sucked in a breath as a sharp pain shot through your skull, leaving as quick as it came. You slid down to the floor with a whimper and brought your knees to your chest. Lowering your head, you counted your breaths as you tried to will away the tears that threatened to spill. Your nails dug deeper into your palms.

“What is happening to me?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Alright, enough heavy plot foreshadowing for now. Onwards to lighter things!
> 
> (Also, 75 kudos? I’m flipping out)


	14. Masquerade

You had chosen to isolate yourself in your room for the remainder of the day and into the next. No one bothered to retrieve you and for that, you were grateful. The occasional Dusk would appear randomly with food, but otherwise you were alone.

You stood on the small balcony outside your room as another day came to a close. The sunset created a mesmerizing orange glow upon the treetops in the forest that lay ahead, but you couldn’t bring yourself to separate it from the expansive view from the clocktower back home. You leaned against the railing, your rest deprived eyes roving over the landscape as if it could transport you back.

Your mind was a battlefield of what was right and wrong- what you wanted and what you _felt_ you needed to do. It was a convoluted mix of true fear and intrigue at what had happened during the last few days.

_‘Dear girl’_

That voice was haunting you the most, even more than Xigbar’s sugar-coated threat. It was mocking and crystal clear- the fear and pain it invoked feeling like a nightmare that had been awakened.

To make matters worse, it was the same one that guided you in the tunnel.

Why had you not bothered to turn around then?

“What’s the matter? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

You swung around with a gasp, your hand coming up to rest on your heart. Axel was standing in the doorway, an amused look on his face as he watched your shocked expression melt into one of annoyance.

“What the hell is wrong with you? You can’t just-just do _that_!”

“Do what?”

“Pop up out of nowhere! My heart nearly stopped.”

The redhead raised an eyebrow and smirked, his one hand coming up to rest on his chest. “Well I just can’t relate.”

“What does that even-”

You stopped yourself when you finally understood his dark humor. Axel laughed at the distraught expression that had suddenly overtaken your features and stepped onto the balcony, clapping your shoulder before leaning against the railing.

“You’ll get used to it eventually, kid.”

You sighed and followed, returning to your original state. “I’m not sure I will.”

He was watching you from the corner of his eye, letting silence take over for a few moments before he finally decided to speak up again.

“Did Roxas tell you what it meant?”

“...What do you mean?”

You were eyeing him wearily, distrust still roiling in your gut. You recalled the slamming of the door and the threat during your initial arrival and decided to tread lightly. He was looking out at the forest again, his one hand coming up to wave a bit as he explained himself.

“That those without hearts, or us Nobodies, do not feel. Any emotion we display- know that it is just a shadow of our former selves. It’s not _real_.”

“...I don’t think that’s true... and I don’t think you believe in it, either.”

“Ah, whatever gets you to sleep at night, I guess.”

Axel suddenly stood up, lifting his arms and popping his joints as he did so. “Well, glad I get to report that you’re alive. I’ll see you around."

The redhead turned and took his leave, this time making sure to use the door. You didn’t bother stopping him- getting any further information would probably equate to pulling teeth, anyway. So you stored what you got, just like another piece of a puzzle.

You moved inside and grabbed the notebook you had been doodling in from its spot on the side table. Flipping through the first two pages, which you had marked up with nearly nonsensical records about light and darkness, you bit the cap off the pen and wrote in large, red ink:

Nobodies ------> No heart, no emotions?

A light knock on the door had you tossing everything back into its spot. You moved to open it, sighing in relief at the familiar sight of a Dusk with a covered plate.

_“My liege.”_

You smiled, bending down slightly to carefully take the food from its grasp. “Thank you, really.”

It twitched and wiggled a bit before turning to take its leave.

_ You weren’t brought here because of your studying. You do realize that,  right ? _

An idea struck you so suddenly that you nearly dropped your plate.

“Wait-!”

It turned to face you, its head tilted nonchalantly to the side. _“Yes, my liege?”_

You smiled once more, your eyes alight with a fiery drive.

“Think you can do me a favor?”


	15. Unlikely Gift

You sat criss-cross upon the bed, eyes roving over the circle of books that had managed to be amassed over the last few days. You had fallen into a routine of sorts, filled with reading, studying of the heart, and time out on the balcony so as not to go stir-crazy. Getting the Dusks to bring you books had been, well, a bit difficult.

Your attention drifted to the small collection of misunderstandings on the dresser that included a bag, fork, and a chess piece. Regardless, whenever one of them stopped by you couldn’t help the overwhelming swell of gratefulness that filled your heart. They provided company, even if it was a bit unorthodox.

A knock on the door and the excitement of another novel or research study to add to your collection sent you scrambling off of the mattress. You flung open the door, your bright expression suddenly melting into one of worry when familiar blue eyes met with yours.

“Looking for this?”

“I-I…”

You became flustered, unable to tell if Roxas’ blank expression was supposed to be scolding or simply one of indifference. He was holding a book out to you, as if he was expecting you to take it. Your nervous state, however, kept your one hand glued to the door knob while the other hung at your side.

“I’m… I’m _sorry_. I just, there isn’t much to do and I-I didn’t...didn’t want to-”

Roxas raised his eyebrows, his voice softer than you expected when he spoke. “Why are you apologizing?”

You truly didn’t know. It was a simple reflex, one you used often when you didn’t want to explain yourself. You rattled your brain for a response of any kind, but it only came back with silence.

The Prince let out a sigh, the hand holding the book falling back to rest at his side.

“You know you don’t have to stay in here, right?”

His eyes roved over what he could see of the room before they settled back on you. Your grip on the door handle tightened.

“I know.”

_‘I don’t want to run into the others’_

You wanted to tell him why you had cooped yourself up, that it was fear that kept you in one place. Fear of what else this place held; fear of running into Xigbar or the man with the yellow eyes. Fear of the voice that haunts your dreams.

Roxas didn’t persist. He only nodded in what appeared to be some sort of understanding before turning to take his leave- or so you thought.

“Follow me.”

His request caught you off guard, your feet keeping you planted in the threshold as he took a few steps away from the door. He looked over his shoulder upon noticing the absence of your footsteps. The blonde gently motioned his head towards the hallway as another way to signal you to accompany him.

With only slight hesitation you finally did so, your door closing quietly behind you with a ‘ _click_ ’.

Unlike Demyx and Axel, you noticed that he waited for you to fall in step beside him.

“Where are you taking me, exactly?”

You looked at him with curiosity, only to find his focus to be ahead. He let out a low hum before giving an answer, as if to choose his words carefully.

“Something...for you to hang on to.”

His response had you looking at everything but him. The paintings on the wall, the eerie ceramic and metal statues, and even the dust particles that lit up ever so slightly in the beams of sun you passed through. It’s as if he knew there was something off with you- like he could pick up on the desperation for resolve that was radiating off of your being.

Maybe he wanted it too- who knows. The only emotion that he seemed to be able to mimic from his past was anger and nothing more, it seemed.

Your steps had slowed significantly as you dug yourself deeper into your thoughts. If it wasn’t for Roxas’ voice cutting through the silence, you would’ve slammed right into his back. “No one has used this space in months. You shouldn’t be bothered in here.”

He had stopped in front of two large double doors, their handles covered in gold similar to the metal that was etched throughout the flooring.You were at the end of the hall in which your room resided, back near the main entrance and past the descending stairs. The doors were tucked away and nearly unnoticeable- a room, you recalled, that wasn’t mentioned during Demyx’s little tour.

Roxas grabbed the handle and pushed, the old wood creaking slightly in protest. By the looks of the entryway the room was very ill-lit. The blonde continued forward, however, and you trailed behind. You stopped a few steps in, your eyes having trouble adjusting to the near darkness.

You could hear the Prince’s footsteps echoing in the room as he moved about. He suddenly came to a stop and with a loud ‘ _woosh_ ’, half-light flooded the area. He had pulled back a curtain and moved to do another, while a small gasp flew past your lips at the sight before you.

It was… _beautiful_.

The sunset’s light streamed through to shine upon wooden bookshelves that spanned from floor to ceiling throughout the entire space, covering the walls completely. Books upon books took over every space they could. Some, you noticed, even lay forgotten upon the white, marbled floor. A tall ladder on wheels provided access to the higher shelves.

In the center was a table and chair, and behind that an enclave in the bookshelves that contained a strange unicorn head statue with wings. Two large windows, now uncovered from their blackened curtains, interrupted the flow of books on both sides of the white statue. Further on the right wall was a fireplace encased by marble and another lone chair to complete the space.

“Think there’s enough books?”

The Prince turned to look at you, his blue eyes gleaming in the light.

You smiled, your expression absolutely euphoric.

“Roxas, it’s _perfect_.”

The corner of his lips lifted ever so slightly.

___________________________________________________________

“It seems as though he’s finally given in, Lord Xemnas.”

A deep, yet hollow laugh echoed throughout the tucked away parlor.

“Good, _destiny shall finally begin its fruition._ ”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Again, you all are absolutely AMAZING. Thank you, thank you, thank you!


	16. Beast

_Much time has passed since I left the home of my youth behind, and in the myriad worlds I have since visited, I have gained much knowledge. On these pages, I intend to record a portion of that knowledge, and put the course of my life to paper._

_I have settled upon a particular fraction of Kingdom Hearts, one that has now begun its regrowth into a town encompassed by twilight and filled with survivors from the Great War- none of them Keyblade Wielders._

_And so, as many of the others have done, I shall become its protector._

**_Xehanort Report #1_ **

 

You held the delicate page in your hand, tilting it towards the reading lamp upon the table to get a closer look. It was crumbled and yellow, seemingly ripped from its origins, and handwritten with care. Your eyes squinted at it with deliberation, your mind trying to discern its existence.

“Where did you come from?”

Your voice came out as a gentle whisper, it being the only sound in the darkened library besides the soft crackling of the fireplace. The journal entry had been tucked away in a book of classic poetry, causing your half-rested mind to jolt awake at the discovery. An odd thing, but useful. The history of your world was always hushed by the older generation-

_‘Dark times, dear. Dark times…’_

With one last read, you gently folded it back in half, tucking it back into the book from whence it came. Bringing it to your chest you stood, the chair’s legs letting out a small squeak of protest at the movement. You took a glance at the grandfather clock across the way: two in the morning.

Roxas had disappeared right after you thanked him, his expression once again neutral as the door shut quietly behind him many hours before. A small part of you wanted to show him your discovery, but you supposed an old letter wasn’t very pertinent to the issue at hand.

You had yet to find any record of a heart returning to its body. And that, truly, was all that really mattered.

Pulling the small metal chain connected to the desk lamp, you switched it off, effectively swathing the library into darkness. The only thing lighting your path out was the barely flickering embers left in the fireplace. Carefully opening the door, you peaked out into the hallway, a rush of relief flooding through you at the castle’s stillness. You quietly made your way down the darkened hall, your muscles aching a bit from being in one position for so long.

Light pouring out from the wide open parlor door made you come to a sudden halt, your eyes widening as you turned to face the entryway.

The hold you had on your book tightened.

It was the same room you saw when you first arrived, the same one you were scolded so heavily for looking into.

But this time, this time was different.

It looked as though there had been a fight; there was broken glass, ceramics, and other destroyed decor littering the floor. You could see the rapid movements of Dusks desperately trying to clean it up. You instinctually ran to stand in the threshold, your eyes roving over the room to check if anyone was injured.

Panic set over you as you noticed Roxas slumped over in one of the large chairs near the fireplace, his head cradled in his hands. You took another step in, a chill running up your spine as you quietly called out to him, your voice shaky and high pitched.

“Roxas...are you o-okay…?”

He shifted only slightly, seeming to take in a deep breath.

You took another step in, calling out his name once more.

Concern and panic was churning in your stomach like a storm. It only rose when you noticed the faint black wisps pouring out from his very being, swirling around him like broken clouds. Roxas shifted once more, his head rising from his palms; just enough for you to see his face.

Yellow eyes, devoid of any pupil or feeling, stared back at you.

They are stark against the darkness encompassing him, reminding you of the shadows that stalked your town. Reminding you of the flash of yellow in the Prince’s eyes when you encountered him on the first night.

Rage.

The darkness around him began to grow, dyeing his blonde hair and covering his mouth as he stood from his seat. A faint red glow seemed to surround him like a protective halo, mixing in with the black tendrils like paint. You immediately stepped back, your book tumbling to the ground with a thud.

He took a step forward.

You felt a sudden grip on your arm, causing you to gasp in surprise. A flash of familiar red hair moved past you as you were yanked back by another force.

“Alright, time to go!”

Demyx’s voice filled your ears as he dragged you away from the scene and out the door, your feet ungracefully tumbling over each other as you moved. You briefly saw Axel kick the door shut with his foot, effectively cutting you off from seeing what was going to ensue. Your stomach was churning with fear and worry.

You knew the darkness was moving in, you knew the dangers that lay ahead for both your world and him, but you never imagined that it was this quick, this brutal…

That it would take the hardest of hearts and devour the shells like nothing.

He wasn’t a monster, he could fight this, and by God you would help him.

You ripped your arm out of Demyx’s grasp halfway down the hall, your breath heavy and eyes like steel when he turned to face you.

“Hey, come on. I got orders to follow!”

The blonde’s voice was whiny and impatient, his hand reaching out to grab you once more, but you jerked back.

“To what? To protect _me_?”

Demyx remained silent, watching your anger rise with each word you spoke.

“I’m _tired_ of standing by and watching while you all suffer, while my world crumbles, while my friends and my brother remain _constantly_ in danger.

I’m sick of the vague history of this place, of not knowing who to trust, of not knowing my _purpose_.”

You were out of breath when you finished, your last word echoing around the hallway and laying the final blow that caused Demyx’s usual cheery demeanor to falter. His expression quickly turned blank as he contemplated his response.

He clicked his tongue.

“...Fine. I’ll give you the rundown. But Roxas was given his own lesson to learn by that witch, and _that_ isn’t my story to tell.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, is that... 
> 
> *squints*
> 
> Rage Form Roxas?
> 
> I've finally added that to the tags. I didn't want to do that early on- I like to keep things a surprise. :)
> 
> Please feel free to let me know what you all think or even if, I don't know, you have questions! Anything, really. Again, thank you all for being so wonderful.


	17. Wish

Your steeled, but tired eyes watched Demyx pace back and forth in your room from your spot on the bed. He was nervously mumbling to himself, his gloved hand running through his hair before he came to a halt.

“First of all, we’re gonna start with the fact that there are three people to trust here, and three people you shouldn’t.”

He seemed confident in his statement, his one hand coming up to count them on his fingers carefully.

“Me, Axel, and Roxas...When he’s not, uh, _compromised_.”

You raised your eyebrows, but nodded.

“Two of the others you have met. Xigbar has the eye patch and Saix has the blue hair. They aren’t exactly the _‘welcome to the neighborhood’_ type.”

Demyx dropped the air quotations he was using when he spoke, his aquamarine eyes narrowing quite alarmingly as he continued. “Xemnas is the last. He was appointed as Roxas’ guide after the original wielder passed away... and _he’s_ the one who brought you here.”

A shiver ran up your spine at that, your voice steady, but soft as you probed for more.

“Why are they untrustworthy?”

“Because they are in the last stages of darkness. They might want to get their hearts back and take out the Heartless, which is exactly what _we_ want, but they’ll do anything for it- regardless of what it’ll do to everyone else.”

He moved over to the dresser, picking up the photo and examining it. “Larxene and Marluxia were just two of the seven guardians who gave in. And let me tell you, that’s _a lot_ of slack to pick up for a dude like me.”

The look you gave him was one of pure bewilderment. He put down the photo and tried his best to stifle a yawn, returning to his pattern of animated pacing.

“The three trustees...or you know, whatever, good guys- we do constant patrol around the town to take out the Heartless. That Seifer guy is pretty good at handling things too, so you don’t need to worry about your friends.”

“Wait, you work with _Seifer_?”

The way you spit the question out with pure disdain caused the blonde to let out a light laugh.

“Yeah, yeah. He’s kind of a jerk, but he keeps things going.”

He tapped his finger to his temple, seemingly racking his brain for another point. “There was one more thing…”

Looking like a light had appeared over his head, he pointed at you with an odd amount of enthusiasm. “Your purpose!”

“It would be nice to know, yes.”

“Well, I know Roxas told you what Xemnas brought you here for. Something about your light or whatever. That’s true… I think.”

You took a deep breath in an attempt to calm your tired and frustrated mind. Demyx was doing his best, you supposed. Appreciating any ounce of honesty appeared to be best practice in this place.

“For us, though, I really can’t tell you. If it works, it works. If it doesn’t, it doesn’t. Maybe Roxas will tell you one day, but I can’t be the one to do it… _I’m sorry_.”

Demyx was looking at anything but you. His apology seemed so genuine, so unlike one who supposedly didn’t have a heart- and it made yours hurt. Why had this place, its people, been subjected to such torture in the first place?

The Prince was harsh and secretive, but with such a burden upon one’s shoulders, who wouldn’t begin painting the world with different colors? And to receive such penance for it… what so-called lesson was supposed to come from that?

You dug your nails further into your palms.

The Guardian moved to the door, grabbing onto the handle and mumbling something about checking on things.

“Demyx…”

The blonde halted his exit, looking over his shoulder at you with worrying eyes. His free hand came up to nervously scratch the back of his head.

“Yes?”

An image of the Prince shrouded in darkness flashed across your mind.

“How much time does he have?”

_Does the world have?_

Your voice was soft, coming out in a half-whisper. The man before you sucked in a breath.

“Just... try to get some sleep, would ya?”

With that, he was gone.

And you slept as best as you could, what with yellow eyes and stolen hearts twisting your dreams into nothing short of nightmares.

You could only wish that the days ahead would cast some light upon the shadows.


	18. Glass Shoes

Swiping across the steam that clouded over the bathroom mirror, you examined your features through the thin line before stepping away with a deep exhale. Another day, but this time… this time you knew more than you ever did.

You were no longer walking on eggshells, but now you’re wearing glass slippers- one wrong move and they’d shatter.

You had to be careful, you knew, but time was ticking by and you had none to waste.

Moments after finishing your routine you found yourself frozen outside of the Prince’s parlor, the door shut the one time you didn’t want it to be.

“It’s not going to magically open up, if that’s what you’re waiting for.”

Axel’s smooth voice carried down the hall as he made his way towards you, his one eyebrow upticked in amusement. You crossed your arms over your chest, a scowl falling on your lips. “I’m quite aware of that, thank you.”

He let out a low hum, coming to a halt and leaning against the wall next to you.

“Then why are you hesitating?”

His emerald eyes connected with yours, his expression a strange mix between mischief and seriousness. Ever the difficult to read, it seemed.

“...I’m not afraid, if that’s what you’re thinking. I just...don’t want to make things worse.”

The Guardian let out a heavy sigh and pushed himself from the wall. “You won’t, believe me. What happened yesterday, that wasn’t because of you.”

Axel moved to stand beside you, his gloved hand coming down to rest gently on top of your hair. The gesture threw you off, your eyes looking up at him in surprise.

“He...could use the company.”

His words held a sense of dejection, the man saying no more as his hand slipped off and he disappeared into a portal awaiting him down the hall. You stared at the spot he once stood, Axel’s words serving as the motivation you needed to rap your knuckles on the door. Faint shuffling could be heard on the other side, a small smile appearing on your face just as the person you were looking for appeared in the threshold.

Roxas’ neutral expression seemed to falter slightly at your presence; whether it was out of shock or displeasure you weren’t entirely sure. Before he could even address you, however, you spoke gently to the unnerved royal.

“I could use your help, if you don’t mind.”

He appeared to let out a sigh of relief, his blue eyes closing in contemplation before he spoke.

“...Alright.”

“Come on, let’s go to the library. Two sets of eyes are better than one.”

You turned around and began making your way there, the only sound being your footsteps mixing with his as he trailed behind. Maybe he would find your research useless, but you got him out of that ransacked room, and that in itself felt like small victory. Upon reaching your destination you grabbed the gold handle of the library door and pushed, light awashing your figure as you stepped into the grand space.

“There is plenty of research on darkness and light. How easy it can be to tip the scale from one side to the other… They mention the heart here and there, and I just need to add those sections up. Dig through the mud of it all, really.”

Glancing over your shoulder, you noticed Roxas was carefully shuffling through your scattered books and notes on the desk as you continued to move towards the back of the room. You reached for the handle on one of the large windows and pushed, the metal screeching a bit before it finally opened. Fresh morning air danced its way in, moving strands of your hair as it did so.

“I know you have plenty of other things to deal with… but I think-”

“You’re not afraid of me, after what you’ve seen. _Why_?”

Roxas’ stern voice cut you off from your musings. You looked at the Prince from over your shoulder, finding him to be analyzing you with uncertainty. Remaining composed, you locked eyes with his.

“Why would I be? You’re still you, despite everything.”

You let your words hang in the air for a moment, watching as a flicker of mixed emotions passed over his face before turning your attention back onto the window. From the corner of your eye you could see him moving to stand next to you, his focus also upon the world outside.

He remained silent as you spoke once more.

“There’s always a way, Roxas.”

The blonde glanced at you, your eyes connecting for a split second before he shifted again. Silence settled between the two of you, Roxas’ voice gentle when he finally did break it.

“...Where should we start?”

You couldn’t help the smile that formed on your lips.

Maybe you wouldn’t have to teeter around in those glass shoes for long.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Over 100 kudos and I didn't even notice until now- I'm a disaster.
> 
> It might be annoying but I'll keep saying it: you're all amazing and wonderful and lovely. Thank you, thank you, thank you!


	19. Mirror, Mirror On The Wall

“I thought you were doing research, not reading fairy tales.”

Lowering the book in front of your face, you frowned in slight annoyance at the Prince before you. He had picked up on the habit of appearing in the library via dark corridor in the last few days whenever he pleased. You, with feet resting atop the desk and chair tilted back, remained unruffled.

“I’m taking a break, if you must know... And it’s a classic.”

Roxas pushed his hood down as the darkness dissipated behind him, revealing an amused expression.

“Magic mirror, right?”

“What?”

The blonde moved closer to inspect the cover. You watched him with curiosity, noting that he was being a bit more talkative than usual.

“It’s the one with that talking mirror and the poison apple. We read it when we were kids.”

His voice was nonchalant and confident, blue eyes roving up to await your response.

_ ‘We’ _

A state of perplexity fell upon you at his words. Shaking it off, you let out a soft sound of agreement before snapping the book shut. Seemingly satisfied, Roxas moved to a nearby shelf, gloved fingers running over novels’ spines as he moved about. 

He plucked a book out and moved to sit by the fireplace, silence overcoming the two of you as you attempted to bury yourself in your notes.

_ “The fairest heart of them all...we’ll just have to silence it, then.” _

You hissed in pain, your palm coming up to press on your temple.

_ He _ was in your head again.

That deep, controlling voice that crawled out from the darkness to mock you. It felt alive and present, but seemed so far off...

Like a memory.

The thud of a book hitting the floor snapped you out of your stupor. Roxas was holding up a crumpled piece of paper, his back turned to you as he stood from his chair. You got up to stand next to him, eyes widening at what he held in his hand.

Another report.

You leaned in, receiving no protest from the blonde as he too became engrossed in the written words.

**Xehanort Report #8**

_ One of my equals thinks only in absolutes. He has persuaded himself that light is the only way, but forgets that light cannot exist without shadow. He has chosen to rule his fraction this way, stating that darkness is a constant presence and light must be conjured to keep it at bay. Darkness, an organic occurrence, would be squabbled. _

_ I believe a balance of light and darkness is what sustains Twilight Town, but too much of the darkness has been stamped out, disrupting that balance. Someone must tear down this tyranny of light and reorganize the world around the darkness which then creeps back in. _

_ Ordinarily, Keyblade Masters take pupils under their wings, malleable minds in which to impress the precepts of the Keyblade wielder and keep our profession alive for generations to come. For now, I would find Guardians to assist me in my reorganization of this faction. _

_ Eleven of them would do for the moment. _

_ Powers help me, I thought, my body is so old… _

_ But I would hold off on finding the final two until the very end. One of them shall be my successor. _

Roxas let out a low growl, his other hand coming up to rip the note to shreds in apparent anger.

“Don’t!”

You grabbed his wrist, looking up at him with concern as rage took over a once calm face. He halted his movements immediately, but his expression did not change.

“ **_You don’t understand what this is_ ** .”

Standing your ground, you narrowed your eyes. “I don’t need to. We might be able to find the others, they could hold something...Besides, I already found the first one.”

He was silent, eyes closing in contemplation.

“Please, Roxas.”

Anger melted into impassiveness, his other hand dropping to his side as he studied your features. Releasing your hold, you gently took the paper from his hand. “Regardless of how Xehanort ruled, you are your own person.”

“The reason we are stuck like this is because I failed to clean up his mess, (y/n).”

“You and I both know that’s not true.”

Roxas turned away with a sigh, a rebuttal seeming to play on his lips before he snapped his mouth shut. 

You could feel secrets, untold stories from the both of you teeming in the air like electricity. Honesty seemed like a such a far off concept.

But you wanted it. You craved it- but how could you expect to receive something you yourself refused to give?

You weren’t ready to share your nightmares.

So you moved to place the thinning paper on the desk, too on edge to do anything but engross yourself back into your work. The Prince disappeared without another word, the loneliness of such a large space causing your heart to drop in your chest.

You barely recalled scarfing down the dinner that was brought to you, time passing like a blur as the sun disappeared and you switched on your lamp without a thought. You did your best to stay awake, mumbling to yourself as you moved from desk to shelf, desk to shelf…

_ “Each exposure to light, to the natural world, to other people, shapes this most malleable part inside of us: the heart, regardless of its state of being.” _

Collapsing into one of the large chairs on the other side of the room with the book still in your grasp, you let sleep wash over you like a welcomed embrace.

You awoke the next morning to a blanket covering your form and the novel gently placed off to the side. 

Honesty may be far off, but just a hint of care from the one who relied on being so cold remained enough for the time being.


	20. Illusions

_“Roxas!”_

_His breath was heavy as he ran, your voice ringing in his ears like a non-stop echo. Oblivion and Oathkeeper were slashing at the Neo-Shadows that poured out of the streets like clock-work._

_What had he done?_ **_What had he done?_**

_Panic was rising like bile in his throat. He was running out of time._

_The world was running out of time._

_His legs burned from exhaustion, fire in his lungs as he struggled to reach the top of Station Heights._

_“Roxas, please!”_

_He snapped his head up to look at the clocktower, the faint outline of your form visible in the dimming light. A flash of silver hair and he knew you weren’t alone._

_Blinking, he found himself at the top of the building, confusion quickly being replaced by rage that was mirrored by the faint red glow of the sky._

_“What a pity this is…”_

_Xemnas’ bass voice reached Roxas as he looked on at the scene before him, finding himself unable to move. With a gloved hand wrapped around your throat, the silver-haired male had you dangling helplessly over the edge. Eyes wide as you clawed desperately at his hands, feet thrashing about as panicked gasps rattled from your lungs. The blonde let out a low growl, frustration piling up as he remained frozen in place._

_I’m_ **_useless_ ** _._

_“To toss aside such a strong denizen of light… just to bring about your purpose. Fate is such a cruel thing.”_

_His amber eyes cut to look at Roxas, a cruel smirk painting his lips as he removed his hold on you. The Prince watched in horror as you dropped, time seeming to slow as his body finally became free. His Keybaldes were tossed carelessly to the side, disappearing into nothingness as he jumped after you without a second thought._

_Your hand was desperately reaching out to him, your tears falling up instead of down as gravity took hold. Roxas reached and reached, trying to fall faster as his fingertips barely graced yours._

_He wouldn’t let you go._

_He couldn’t- not again._

_Roxas grabbed your hand, pulling you roughly to his chest as you both fell to the awaiting darkness below._

_The sun became immersed in its scheduled eclipse._

_And everything became so_ **_cold_ ** _._

 

The Prince awakened with a gasp, sheets pooling around his form as he quickly sat up in bed. Clammy hands came to cradle his aching head, eyes closed as he attempted to ward off the nightmare with deep breaths.

Shaking it off he found himself quickly throwing on his day clothes, quivering hands finding difficulty with the buttons on his shirt. Slipping on his boots he threw open his bedroom door, sharp eyes roving over a darkened hallway as he made his way to the library. There was a fifty-fifty chance you were either there or peacefully asleep in your bedroom.

But until he knew you were fine, he couldn’t bring himself to rest.

For once, he felt...no, that wasn’t the term.

He could not... _feel._

Roxas struggled to figure out what this was- a shadow of what he felt in his past, maybe? But he had abandoned his origins long ago, before he lost his heart, before he…

_“No one would miss me.”_

He dismissed the scene from his mind, opening the library door to find the desk lamp still on. There, curled up in one of the wingback chairs near the fireplace and fast asleep, lay you. He couldn’t help the slight uptick of his lips as he quietly approached your form.

Of course you were still here. Even after he raised his voice at you for things you couldn’t help but not understand, even after you saw him turn into a monster, after **everything** you had been through, your mission remained unaffected.

He should tell you to go, to hide from this place. But he was unsure of what would happen- and perhaps he was being a bit selfish.

Grabbing the blanket that was hung haphazardly over the other chair, Roxas slowly moved the book that was abandoned in your lap to the side table. Carefully covering you with the blanket he stepped away, finally at ease. He flicked the lamp off and left you to sleep in peace.

Blue eyes meet emerald ones as he stepped into the hallway and shut the door.

“Are you going to tell her?”

Axel was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, expression serious as he spoke. He must’ve just returned from recon, Roxas concluded.

But the blonde could only sigh, moving past his companion to leave his response hanging in the air like smoke.

“What's the use if I'm going to die?”

There were two feasible paths Roxas knew this saga could take.

And he was certain in his fate for both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh, poor Roxas.
> 
> Also, I'm not sure if you guys are interested in music, but I'll start including some music inspirations in the end notes. "Lost" by Dermot Kennedy is one I often listen to when working on this story.
> 
> Thanks again for reading! :)


	21. Charm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Absolute fluff, lads. I have no regrets.

“Roxas, have you ever been to the clocktower?”

Said blonde, who was currently leaning against the railing on your balcony, glanced your way before returning his attention back to the sunset. He had stopped in earlier to bring the book you had dropped in his parlor during the... _incident_.

“Yeah, why do you ask?”

You let out a low hum, fingers tapping on your arm as you mimicked his position. “Just curious.”

As a comfortable silence fell between the two of you, you took the time to admire his relaxed state from the corner of your eye. He was wearing the outfit you had first encountered him in, his black button up just slightly undone, sleeves messily rolled up, and a silver necklace glinting in the sunlight. His hair looked as though he had been running his hand through it all day, spikes endearingly pointing this way and that. His expression was blank, but soft, like someone who had just woken from a nap.

“Do you miss it?”

Roxas’ voice was gentle, his body shifting slightly so he could face you.

“Of course I do… but there are more important things to take care of, right?”

You did your best to send him a reassuring smile, trying to dispel the longing you felt for that familiar view. The unmatchable view that you enjoyed with your friends, your brother. The place where celebrations and worries passed with the indulgence of sea-salt ice cream…

“Come on.”

The Prince snapped you out of your reverie, his hand outstretched for you to take and a barely visible smile on his face. You pushed yourself off the railing, confusion written all over your features. “W-What?”

“I’ll take you to the clocktower, but you have to promise to hold onto my hand.”

The meaning of his request finally dawned on you when with a simple wave of his wrist, a dark portal appeared behind him.

“Roxas, you...you don’t have to do this. What if we’re seen? Or someone finds out I left...I-”

Suddenly his hand was in yours, gently tugging you along before he paused in front of the swirling mass of darkness. He looked over his shoulder at you, eyes connecting with yours, expression serious before returning to its softened state. “You can close your eyes, if you want to. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

You nodded, heat rising to your cheeks at his candid words. “Alright.”

You were led into the awaiting portal, darkness swallowing you like an icy embrace. Your eyes closed at the chill, grip tightening on Roxas’ hand as a shiver racked up your spine. The sensation was dizzying and unnerving, to say the least. You felt like there were a million eyes on your form, shadows waiting to grab you even as you kept your own eyes shut in fear.

Just as you felt like you would break from the cold you felt your feet land on solid concrete, a warm breeze passing through your hair as you let out a sigh of relief. You opened your eyes to find yourself at the top of the clocktower, the setting sun before you causing a bright smile to appear on your face. Roxas slipped his hand from yours, a gesture that despite its practicality as he moved to sit on the ledge, had your heart dropping just the slightest.

You did the same, basking in the sun before looking at the Prince next to you.

“Thank you, Roxas.”

The corner of his lips tipped up just the slightest. You continued to reminisce, voice spilling out before you could stop it.

“Hayner, Pence, Olette, and I used to come up here all the time, especially when we were kids. A bit dangerous, I guess. But the view was always worth the scoldings.”

You let out a small laugh before continuing.

“Hayner and I used to fight over who had to pay for the ice cream with a round of Struggle. I won quite a bit more than he liked, I think.”

“Did you ever fight in the tournament?”

Roxas seemed generally interested, eyes watching with what almost appeared to be endearment as you moved your hands in a slashing motion. “Yeah, I won last year, actually. I don’t think Seifer was pleased that someone had finally broken his streak.”

The Prince scoffed. “That sounds about right.”

Voice teasing, you stopped your movements to gently nudge the boy next to you. “You know, once we get out of this mess maybe you and I could go for a round.”

The blonde, for just an instant, looked almost… _forlorn_. His expression quickly lightened, however, as he nodded in agreement and returned your tone. “As you wish.”

And your heart, despite how much you willed it to stop, fluttered in your chest at his words. The two of you continued to admire the view, time passing blissfully before Roxas spoke up.

“We should head back.”

He stood, offering his hand once more to help you stand. You gladly took it, fingers staying interlocked with his the entire trip back to the castle.

And you couldn’t help but think how peculiar it was for someone supposedly without a heart to be so...

_Charming._


	22. Sword

A voice, mocking and sarcastic in nature, had you stopping directly in your tracks on your way to the kitchen to get dinner. It was accompanied by another, one who had you pressing further against the corner wall in an attempt to not be seen.

“Our little light trio is taking care of the mess, nothing we have to worry about.”

Saix let out a low hum at Xigbar’s statement. “Yes, but they had to drag that troublesome boy away from the center of it. Who knows what’s to come of that.”

“What? He get hurt trying to pull a hero card like his little sis?”

You sucked in a sharp breath, nails digging into your palms as you felt a mix of fear and anger rise in your throat.

Saix’s footsteps rang out as he moved away from you, a humoured scoff barely reaching your ears. “Of course he did. Unfortunate that Axel decided to fly in and meddle with what would’ve been a convenient fate... One less mosquito buzzing in our ears.”

The dark haired man laughed at his companion, seeming to trail behind him. “As if! Remember, Saix… Nothing to upset their little Princess.” 

With that, they left, leaving you to try and process the information that had just befallen you. Your heart was pounding in your chest, panicked and persistent as you scrambled down the hall to find a clock. You needed the time, what was the _time_?

You quickly ran down the stairs, eyes landing on an old grandfather clock across the foyer.

**_9:56pm_ **

You did your best to recall Hayner’s patrol schedule, tears prickling at the edges of your vision in frustration. You had to make sure he was alright. _You had to protect him._

“Sunset Hill…!”

There was a high possibility that he was on the other side of town, utter worry clouding any coherent thought you had at the realization. How hurt was he? What if...what if more came and Axel couldn’t hold them off?

For God’s sake, what did Axel even fight those things with?

‘Shit, shit, _shit_!’

You ran over to one of the suits of armor that loomed near the kitchen doors, instinctively reaching out to yank out the sword it held in its grasp. The weight of the silver metal had you stumbling back, struggling to balance yourself as you tried to catch your footing. Rotating the handle in your palm and holding the blade off to the side, you ran for the front doors, not caring for who may come after you or what you may see.

Nothing in that moment mattered more than the safety of your brother.

And so the slamming of the door rang out like a gunshot in that quiet place, leaving the only trace of you behind as you blindly navigated the front garden and made your way into the forest. Thunder, distant but quickly encroaching, and accompanied by occasional flashes of lightning served as your only light. 

_“...you stay here… until you no longer serve a purpose, I suppose.”_

_“Tell the Prince... he has my word.”_

The recollection of the deal you made replayed in your head like a record, but you would come back. You would explain everything to Hayner, Pence, Olette, and you…

You would come back, right?

Brambles scratched at your arms and legs, a warning that you had deterred from the path, but all you knew was that you needed to move forward. You would hit the wall eventually- from there you could locate the tunnel door. Rain drops, sudden and heavy followed a particularly loud crash of lightning, illuminating the woods as you struggled to keep your footing on the slick ground.

And there, waiting in the darkness with yellow eyes that shone prominently in the quick succession of light from the storm, were Heartless. You let out a cry of frustration, swiping at one with your sword as it dared to jump in your path. The rain had already soaked through your hair and clothes, slowing your steps just slightly.

One after the other, the Shadows began to appear. Two would replace the one you would slay, arms aching from the weight of the foreign weapon you held in your grasp. You were lashing out blindly, nightfall and torrential rain making it impossible to see. With a gasp you felt your foot catch on a root, sending you tumbling down helplessly to the muddy ground, weapon thrown off to the side mid-fall.

You cursed, pushing yourself up on all fours as you desperately felt the muddy ground for the sword.

Multiple sets of yellow orbs now surrounded you, their faint outline twitching and stirring in the darkness. With a shiver running down your spine you realized how much… _bigger_ these monsters were. Longer antennas and glowing blue veins had you concluding that these were not the Shadows you had encountered before.

No, they were much more powerful.

You finally found the hilt of your sword, slamming the sharp end into the ground and using it as a support system to stand. Water dripped down your face, your hand coming up to wipe across your eyes in a feeble attempt to clear your vision. You could still barely see, only knowing that whatever these new beings were…

They had you surrounded.

And the only way you were going to get out of this was to fight. So, you did.

With a curse you lifted the sword from the dirt, using the little adrenaline you had left to ready yourself for the oncoming attacks. Two of them immediately leapt in your direction, their claws clanging loudly against the metal as you did your best to block. You were only able to be on the defensive as more joined the fray, your heart beating rapidly in your chest as you began to tire out. You wouldn’t last much longer.

You let out a grunt as you fell against a nearby tree, eyes widening at the mass of them.

‘There’s so many, but how?’

Another crash of lightning and the all too familiar sound of a dark portal following it had the monsters tearing their attention from you in seconds. There, not even covered in his usual cloak, stood Roxas. His blonde hair was pressed down and soaked from the rain, clothes clinging to his form just enough to show the muscles that were usually kept hidden under loose clothing. In his hands were the Keyblades he had mentioned, one seemingly a representation of light while the other darkness.

Distress, an emotion that seemed impossible for someone with his composure to have, was so clearly written on his face. It quickly faded to anger as the Heartless turned their attention to him.

You could do nothing but helplessly stand to the side, once in awhile slashing at a Shadow that appeared nearby. He took most of them out with ease, moving with a precision and grace that could only be obtained through rigorous training. They were gone in less than a minute, his blue eyes immediately scanning the area before they came to rest on your labored form. He dispelled his weapons, a rumble of thunder muddling what seemed to be a call of your name as he stepped toward you.

Your expression went from relief to horror as you watched a lone Heartless leap angrily from the shadows, its clawed hand dragging across the Prince’s back as your warning fell on deaf ears.

A cry, so sudden and unsuppressed tore from your throat as you ran to catch his collapsing form. You both fell to your knees, his head coming to a rest in the crook of your neck as you held on to him like a lifeline, all while doing your best to ignore the blood pouring out from his torn shirt.

You paid no mind to the sudden blast of fire that took out the lone Shadow.

You did your best to ignore the voices that were swimming in your head, the sound of the storm and your own cries keeping you tethered to the moment at hand.

_“No one would miss me…”_

_“That’s not true, Roxas. I would.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter is my favorite scene in the entire movie so get ready, kids.
> 
> Also you're all lovely, thanks to everyone whose stuck with this, it means a lot!


	23. Ribbons

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for how long this took- you're all so wonderful and I can't thank you enough for giving this story so much love!
> 
> "Orpheus" by Sara Bareilles is a great song for this chapter.

“Checked in on Hayner again, he’s staying with Pence. A few bruises, but he’ll be fine... and you can give this to Blondie.”

“Thank you, Axel.”

Your voice was hoarse from earlier cries, your hand reaching out to gingerly take the High-Potion from his grasp. He nodded, green eyes bright even in the dimly lit hallway.

“You sure you don’t need anything else?”

You let out a light laugh, lips tilting up in a small smile. “You already saved two people I care about today, I don’t think there’s anything else I could ask of you.”

The redhead shrugged, his one hand coming up to wave dismissively in the air.

“Just a part of the job description.”

“Send Demyx my thanks, too?”

You spoke over your shoulder, hand already grasped on the parlor’s doorknob. Axel turned to take his leave as well, his parting words causing a nervous flip of your stomach.

“Done and done. Give me a call if you need help with the beast!”

With a deep breath, you pushed open the door and stepped over the threshold, gently closing it behind you with a soft ‘ _click_ ’. Sharp, blue eyes paid no mind to your presence, staying trained on the lit fireplace like it held a secret it refused to spit out. Their owner remained leaning forward in the chair, head resting on his palm in a strangely relaxed manner. It was if the gash along his back was merely a nuisance.

A nuisance that, for the briefest of moments, left him incapable of movement. A moment of vulnerability that had him helplessly falling into your arms- and he didn’t appear to be too keen on it.

You moved along the tiled floor carefully, each footstep ringing out like a gunshot until you finally stood directly in his line of sight.

“Drink this… please.”

You put slight emphasis on the last word, holding out the glowing bottle like some sort of peace offering. Roxas straightened his posture, the wince of discomfort flashing across his features not going unnoticed. He looked up at you, his voice raw when he spoke.

“Those are for near-death injuries...I don’t need it.”

“You can barely stand, Roxas. Just drink it.”

Your tone matched his, barely rising above a whisper as you grabbed the hand that rested upon his knee. He watched with curiosity as you pressed the potion into his palm.

“... _Please_.”

He let out a defeated sigh, your fingers quickly brushing against his as you pulled away. You moved to grab the supplies you had brought in earlier, back turned to him as you fiddled with the basin of soap water and wound dressing that was on the side table. The sound of a popping cork had a wave of relief rushing through you.

You turned around to gingerly take the empty jar from his grasp, refusing to make eye contact and distracting yourself with soaking the rag as you made your next request.

“Take your shirt off.”

You were hoping the bluntness of your words would communicate your intentions, but as you looked at the unmoving blonde and the mischievous glint in his eyes, you couldn’t help the heat that rose to your cheeks. It was a look that you had never quite seen before, the slight twitch of his lips giving away a playful air in an otherwise grim situation. 

Roxas chose to keep his mouth shut, however, instead beginning to swiftly unbutton his damaged shirt. He tossed the fabric onto the floor, turning so his back was facing you. 

The injury was clearly a claw mark, garish and red, and shocking enough to cause a small gasp to fly past your lips. You immediately got to work, bracing your free hand on his tense shoulder and beginning to clean around the gashes as best you could. Your hands were shaking, body still exhausted as you did your best to focus on the task at hand.

You mentally cursed yourself when your hand slipped, a pained hiss coming from the male below you. “That  _hurts_.”

“I know, I know… I’m sorry.”

Your voice was still quiet, trying to remain calm as you felt his eyes scrutinizing you from over his shoulder. The Prince let out a sigh, mumbling something that faintly resembled some sort of reassurance. Swiftly finishing the cleaning of his wound you began to cover it, gently instructing the blonde to move this way and that as you wrapped the bandage from his chest to his back, securing it at the front of his one shoulder.

The tension in the air was thick and unbreaking, the only sound being the crackling of the fireplace as you stepped back to examine your handy work. God, did he look tired… His usually tamed locks were tousled from the rain, bruises and other tiny scratches scattered along the muscles on his arms. Dark circles encased what you knew could be brighter baby blues, the slumping of his shoulders as he looked up at you with an unreadable expression had you digging your nails into your palms.

If he looked like that, what had these past few hours done to you?

“How did you know about the attack?”

His question knocked you back to reality.

“Saix and Xigbar were having a... lovely conversation about it in the hallway.”

Roxas scowled, annoyance flashing across his face. The only thing that made you nervous was your inability to tell if it was directed at you or not. He sucked in a sharp breath, seeming to stop himself from lashing out.

“...You could’ve died.”

“What?”

You couldn’t help your response, shock running through you at how... _concerned_ he sounded. Like you hadn’t been the cause of his injury, of how reckless you were-

“Why would you put yourself in danger like that?”

He appeared genuinely curious, eyes connecting briefly with yours before you broke the contact. 

“My brother and my friends… they’re more important to me than anything and- and when you’re in that moment, nothing really matters but them. Not you, not the world, just...the ones you care about.”

You continued, voice a bit shaky as you recall everything that happened. “I should’ve trusted you, _known_ that you had the ability to handle it, but I just...I didn’t think. And-”

You gestured at his form.

“Look what I did to you. I should be the one in that chair, not you. And God, how did you even know-”

“You were in danger?”

Roxas cut you off, moving to stand in front of you, albeit quite slowly. You nodded, watching his movements with worry as he stumbled a bit before righting himself.

“That light of yours started to...fade. I just knew something was wrong.”

Your eyebrows scrunched together out of confusion, “How?”

His lips curved into a small smile.

“ _Like Yin and Yang_.”

Before you could even chastise him for his vagueness, his smile fell. A painful grunt flew past his lips, his body hunching over as he stumbled forward.

“Roxas!”

You caught him quite effortlessly, finding that he could still support his own weight as the two of you remained standing. 

And maybe, just _maybe_ , if you weren’t so exhausted and worried, you would’ve noticed how well the two of you fit together. You would’ve noticed the way his arm wrapped around your waist like it had done so a million times before, or the way his breath fanned across your neck as he rested his head in the crook of it.

But you could only bring yourself to speak a simple suggestion-

“We should get to bed.”

And the Prince could only bring himself to agree.


	24. Chambers

Roxas awakened the next day with a groan, blue eyes fluttering open to glance at the familiar ceiling above him. His arm flew up to rest across his face, blocking the sunlight that had managed to stream through blackened curtains.

Flashes of last night’s events replayed in his mind, his hand moving to rest on his forehead as a headache began to join in with the dull pain across his back. He barely recalled how he managed to get into his bed in the first place- the blank slot having him sit up to nervously run a hand through his tangled hair.

The Prince’s nose twisted up in slight disgust as he got a whiff of himself; an odd mix of rainwater and disinfectant. The only thing his tired mind could comprehend in that moment was a sudden need for a shower.

Untangling himself from the covers he slung his legs over the side of the mattress, only to pause suddenly in his actions.

His hardened expression softened, a ghost of a smile on his lips as he took in the view before him.

You were curled in the corner chair like a cat, fast asleep with a blanket haphazardly covering your form. 

_“If you_ **_insist_ ** _on staying then take the bed.”_

_“Roxas, I’m fine. I promise.”_

If the two of you weren’t so exhausted then perhaps the argument would’ve gone on longer, but he had managed to bite back any retort.

In the moment he was appreciative of your concern, if not downright filled with some sort of shelled relief and... _happiness_ that you were staying close to him. And the more he thought about it now, he came to a simple conclusion:

He needed to protect you. And wouldn’t it be easier, if you were to remain by his side?

Roxas stood, gently so as not to wake you, and made his way to the bathroom, a scowl beginning to replace his smile the further he delved into his thoughts. Xigbar and Saix knew you were listening, they _knew_ you would throw yourself to danger for the sake of those you cared about. And perhaps they knew he would, too.

He carefully removed his bandages, his eyes sharp and expression irate as he stared at himself in the mirror. 

His hands came up to tightly grasp the edge of the marble sink.

It was all a game now, it was all this had _ever_ been.

His eyes flashed a dangerous yellow.

 

* * *

 

Light, bright enough to stir you from your slumber, filled the room. Slowly, so slowly, your eyes opened to scan the area, brows scrunching up in confusion before they rose in mild shock. Heat took over your cheeks, your hands grasping at the blanket around you as you shrunk further into the cushioned chair.

Roxas was standing in front of the now open balcony doors, hands occupied with towel drying his hair as he looked out onto the horizon. Lacking his usual t-shirt, but thankfully dressed from his waist down, you could see the scars of last night’s attack tracked across his back. They moved when his muscles did, enrapturing you enough to have you frozen in place.

Before you even had the chance to look away, he turned around to toss the cloth onto the unmade bed, his eyes connecting with yours. A smile, small and barely noticeable, traced his lips. His hair, still wet and tossed this way and that, shone in the sunlight that spilled in through the open door. 

The way he told you ‘good morning’ was casual enough, but it had you sucking in a sharp breath as you did your best to will away the redness that had surely taken over your face.

“...M-Morning.”

You shifted your attention away from him as he fumbled in his dresser drawer for a shirt, trying to engross yourself with the intricacies of his room, but found it hard to do so with the lack of...well, knick-knacks. The layout was similar to your guest room, albeit the space being a bit larger. A few pieces of stray clothing and books littered the area, but nothing more.

It was almost upsetting, how little it looked like a home.

Roxas’ voice cut off your train of thought, his body shifting to face you as he leaned against his dresser, arms crossed in front of his chest. “...How are you feeling?”

You let out a tired laugh, giving the Prince quite an incredulous look. “Don’t you think _I_ should be the one asking _you_ that?”

“Well, seeing as you didn’t, I figured I would take the lead.”

His tone was, dare you say, playful almost? The mischievous glint in his eye shocked you into silence, your fingers running through your hair as you moved to sit up. And much to your demise, the heat on your cheeks seemed to be returning.

He spoke your name again, serious this time, the sudden shift having you look up at him.

“Are you sure you’re alright?”

You nodded and stood, your joints popping here and there as you stretched your limbs. You were sore, and expected more bruises and scratches to be lingering under your clothing, but it surely wasn’t anything to worry about. Getting a warm shower was truly your only immediate concern.

“I promise, Roxas. I’m okay… And you?”

“I’m fine... _I promise_.”

You tried not to roll your eyes, instead choosing to shake your head as you folded up the blanket you had used. 

“...Remember how you said I owed you a round of Struggle?”

Placing the cloth over the chair you turned to face him, hands on your hips and head tilted to the side in slight confusion. “I do, but…”

Roxas smirked and shoved his hands into his pockets, “Good. You can cash in tonight. I’ll grab you from the library.”

You spluttered a bit, mouth closing and opening in an attempt to form a proper response. Every little thing he did this morning was throwing you for a loop- knocking down the initial impressions you had of him since day one. And, despite how... _odd_ it was, it also felt _right_.  _This_ was Roxas.

A bit sarcastic, but genuine. Protective, but conflicted. Hot-tempered, no denying that, but...kind underneath all of that.

He would deny it, of course. 

Such a broken perspective for him to think of himself as only shell.

Regardless.

You eventually settled on a smile, nodding in agreement to the challenge and moving to the door. Grabbing the handle, you looked over your shoulder at him one last time.

“See you tonight, then.”

Closing the door you stepped out into the hallway, ruffled hair, messed up clothes and all, and began to make your way back to your room.

A familiar tuft of blonde hair came around the corner, green eyes wide at your appearance. You moved to give him a shy wave, but a cattish grin took over his features as he moved past you, waving his hand dismissively in the air all the while.

“Nuh-uh, I don’t wanna know. No, thank you!”

You blanched at his implication, stuttering a bit as you yelled after him.

“Th-That’s not- It’s not, it’s not what you think!”

The more you thought about, you supposed being mistaken for having some sort of romantic tryst with the local Prince was the most normal thing that had happened to you so far.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, thank you to everyone who has given this story a chance! I'll never get over the amount of love this has gotten <3
> 
> (Also I listened to Sanctuary a ridiculous amount of times while writing this).


	25. Trickster

Pacing back and forth you moved from one side of the library to the other, entranced by the story you held in your hands.

Night had fallen by this point, a serene silence taking over the space. Stars flecked the sky outside the opened windows, pushing in a welcoming breeze as the curtains danced under their influence.

You bit your lip, steps slowing down as the words on the page nearly had you stopping in your tracks.

_Will turned to Elizabeth, an undeniable sadness in his brown eyes._

_“Keep a weather eye on the horizon.”_

_And she was left with only his heart, the piece of him she had always had, encased in the ancient locks of the Dead Man’s Chest._

Still in mild shock, you failed to notice the familiar sound of an opening portal. You could only mumble to yourself, finally coming to a standstill in front of the windows.

“... _It always belonged to her_.”

“Reading again?”

You nearly jumped out of your own skin, slamming the novel shut in one quick move before looking across the room. The tension in your shoulders dissipated upon the recognition of your company, a small smile gracing your lips.

Your heart continued to beat loudly in your chest, but not out of fear.

Roxas’ expression seemed to switch from one of amusement to a softened one, his head tilting in the direction of the door.

“Ready?”

It took you a minute to process his question, an ' _oh!'_  flying past your lips as you placed the book on the windowsill, moving quickly to follow his lead.

The Prince opened the door, waiting for you to pass through first before you fell instep beside one another. You could feel his eyes on you, your own downcast as you moved throughout the darkened halls.

His voice was oddly quiet when he spoke.

“We...don’t have to do this, if you don’t want to.”

You stopped, looking up at him with a guilty expression. “No, no! That’s not it, I love Struggle, believe me. That book was just…”

But the words got caught on your tongue, unable to describe the tragic romance and its peculiar effect on you. So instead, you wiped the thought from your mind, a mischievous look taking over your features.

“How about we move on to the part where I kick your ass, dear Prince?”

He returned your expression, eyebrow lifting up in mockery. “Oh, _really_?”

“Yes, _really_. You’re looking at a champion, you know.”

You sent him a teasing smile, stepping back a bit as he reached for a large set of double doors on his left. He swung one of them open, waiting for you to step in first.

“Then let’s get started.”

And despite all the intricacies of this castle-like residence you had seen thus far, this surely wasn’t what you were expecting.

A ballroom.

You were in a ballroom.

It was about the size of the library, large but not overbearing, and decorated in white and gold from head to toe. Marble covered the floors, the ceiling was marked by gilded etches of ivy, and the back of the room held floor to ceiling windows, with a door seeming to lead out to a balcony that overlooked the woods. A chandelier, much like the one in the foyer, topped everything off.

You knew these people were technically royalty- they had been established as so before you were even born. A ruling you assumed was made as a part of the Master council Xehanort had apparently been a part of.

The thought of this room actually being used for its constructed intention was almost laughable, if not a bit sad.

It’s not as though you were about to be doing so, anyway.

With a light tap to your shoulder with a Struggle bat, the Prince knocked you out of your stupor.

“I don’t have any orbs, so you’re going to learn how to protect yourself.”

You turned to the blonde with a raised brow and gently took the bat from his grasp. “Excuse me?”

“...You swung that sword like it was a stick.”

You opened your mouth to protest, but couldn’t find any motivation to disagree with him. Instead you stepped back and made your way towards the center of the room, eyes trailing over the decor once more before they landed back on Roxas.

“Well, what do you have in mind?”

“Balance first, then dodges.”

Nodding in understanding, you held up your bat at a medium level, one-foot slightly behind the other. Roxas smiled-

“Now _relax_.”

You shot him an incredulous look as he moved to push slightly on your shoulder with his own weapon. He only raised his brow, the now serious expression taking over his features having you take a deep breath to ease your muscles.

“Tension will have you locking up, you won’t be able to move as fast.”

He took his own stance this time, standing directly across from you. Before you even had a chance to react Roxas charged, knocking your bat out of your hand with a clean upper sweep from his own. You watched the teal weapon fly across the room from the corner of your eye, realizing too late that it served as nothing but a distraction for him to lightly knock the back of your legs with one of his own.

Your balance immediately gave out, eyes closing in anticipation for your body to smack unceremoniously onto the marbled floor.

Two arms snaked around your waist, stopping you mid-fall, your knees bent just slightly as if in a very precarious low-dip. You opened your eyes to find the blonde looking at you with a satisfied smile, his nose inches away from yours and weapon discarded off to the side. You could feel the heat rush to your cheeks, voice barely above a whisper when you spoke.

“A-A warning would’ve been nice, you know.”

He smiled, _really_ smiled, eyes glinting with a mirth that shouldn’t even be possible for someone supposedly without a heart. It was a gesture that you found yourself melting at-

He had a lot of those lately.

“A Heartless isn’t going to give you a warning, (y/n).”

Without even giving you a chance to respond, he shifted his weight to stand you both straight up, arms slipping from your waist. Roxas tossed you your Struggle bat on the way to grab his, turning around to flash you another smile.

“Let’s start again- I’ll teach you how to block that.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfway through with over 150 kudos I'm CRYING. <3


End file.
